Obsidian
by Kadi219
Summary: [Raydor/Flynn] Sometimes wedding plans may go awry... especially when uninvited guests show up.
1. Chapter 1

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. Most of this is a product of my own craziness, but Chapter 2 is dedicated to her. Also, when you reach Chapter 2... I wrote that before Flynn's so-called baking attempt, so now I'm even more pleased with how it turned out.

All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

 _You can have a sound of the thousand voices calling your name_  
 _You can have the light of the world blind you, bathe you in grace_  
 _But I don't see so easily what you hold in your hands_  
 _'Cause castles crumble, kingdoms fall and turn into sand_

 _-Shinedown "How Did You Love"_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

It came as a bit of a shock to Sharon when, still dismayed at how he had managed to ruin the surprise of her engagement, Ricky offered to take over the planning for a more official engagement party. He spent the couple of weeks following his visit trying to think up a way to make that up to her, as well as Andy. He also still had the lecture that she had given him and Rusty ringing in his ears. Their mother was none too pleased with their meddling. She was very touched at the intent behind it, but she had specifically asked them to _not_ get involved.

Ricky kind of expected that to happen. It was worth it, though, to know that she was getting the happiness that she deserved. She _was_ happy, of that he was certain. He saw that with his own eyes before going home. His mother hadn't wanted Andy getting blindsided with the knowledge that his ex-wife's _sudden_ decision to get an annulment had come from her side of their new extended family, so she sat him and Rusty down and made them come clean.

Thinking back on that now, Ricky decided that he had even more reasons to like his mother's new fiancé. Not that he hadn't liked him before. Oh no, Ricky had always liked Andy. He wasn't an idiot. He saw the way that guy looked at his mother, long before _she_ realized how he was looking at her. Maybe it was a guy thing, because he was pretty sure that it hadn't taken long for Rusty to figure it out either, even if his darling little brother had balked a bit at the reality of it.

Ricky had quizzed his mother on _that guy Andy_ long before the idea of them being a couple had been a disgusted gleam in little brother's eyes. Some time before he finally met Rusty, Ricky had started to notice another name occasionally slipping into conversations with his mother. She would mention plans for the weekend, or what she had been up to recently, and more often than it didn't, those plans would include a certain Lieutenant. He teased her about it at first, but his mother had just rolled her eyes and insisted they were friends. _Good friends,_ she would tell him. Then in some of his phone conversations with Rusty, his then-foster brother would mention that mom was out with _Lieutenant Flynn_.

He decided to start questioning his mother about that guy when it started to look like he was the only one that she was spending any time with outside of work. What he managed to get from her was a little concerning at first. He was divorced, his kids were grown, and he was over fifteen years sober. It was the part where he was an alcoholic that Ricky was the most concerned about. He started timing his calls home when he thought the guy would be there, based on things he was hearing from his mother or Rusty. He seemed like an okay enough guy, and yeah, maybe Ricky had done a little digging on his own… being a computer expert had to come with _some_ advantages, didn't it?

Ricky decided pretty quickly that he liked the guy. From what he gathered, Andy was doing a hell of a lot more to reconnect with his family than his own father ever had. Besides, his mom was happy, and he started to realize what Jack was so worked up about when it came to her new job. His dear old dad was jealous, and as far as Ricky was concerned, that was nothing but good news in his book. Jack deserved it for all the crap that he put her through over the years.

It wasn't until he was able to finally get down to Los Angeles and lay eyes on the situation that he fully made up his mind. By that point his mother had filed for divorce and his dad was spitting mad. He was blaming it on the kid, though, and maybe his own jealousy at not being the youngest anymore allowed his dad to get into his head about Rusty. His mom set him straight in a hurry. She usually did, and being there, well the kid wasn't so bad.

Neither was Andy.

It only took him about five minutes of being around the two of them to see how the older man looked at his mother. He sure never saw his dad look at her like that. It wasn't just that he was attracted to her, something that Ricky joined Rusty in never wanting to know about, but he looked at her like he actually cared, like she was special and nothing would ever convince him that she wasn't. He wasn't the only one that had that whole _puppy love_ thing going on, either. Ricky had noticed his mother looking at Andy the same way a time or two, when she thought no one was watching.

It wasn't something that could be rushed, however, and she wasn't divorced yet. Ricky knew his mom, and she had not spent twenty years being legally separated from his dad just to jump into another relationship before the ink was even dry on their divorce papers. It was going to take time and Ricky figured that a guy that looked at his mother the way that Andy did was good with waiting.

Christmas that year was especially enjoyable. By the time that he and Emily were in town the whole ballet debacle had already happened. Their sister didn't find it as amusing as he and Rusty did. Ricky decided to chalk that up to her being the one stuck staying with dad, since that was who Jack asked for. He had to mentally roll his eyes when his mother told them about it. Jack always asked for Emily. Probably because he had an easier time playing the guilt card with her, she didn't always fall for it, but his sister was a lot more sympathetic to their father than he was.

In any event, he and Rusty had gotten a little mileage out of the ballet situation that holiday season. He was pretty sure that his mother was ready to throttle the both of them, but Andy had taken it in stride. His penance, he told them, for being the cause of the whole thing. Ricky had decided then that Andy was _definitely_ good people, and if his mother was going to move on and start dating someone new, he was the one.

So Ricky had waited. Patiently. Oh so patiently, for some kind of announcement to come after Christmas. Rusty told him there had been no movement on the dating front, and they were, in fact, still playing the _friends game_. Ricky was really starting to think that he might have to take matters into his own hands as summer approached and there was still _no movement_ on the dating thing. There was slow and then there was _dude, do I need to ask her for you_ slow. If he were honest about it, Ricky was getting ready to fly down and deal with them when his brother sent him a text a couple of weeks into July. _Omg, she said he might stay the night sometimes, ew!_

Little brother was obviously freaking out and after a few text messages and one almost desperate call to figure out what was going on, Ricky had throw his arms up in celebration. They had dating! His man Flynn had not let him down after all, and he wasn't going to have to risk his own life with playing matchmaker.

At some point Rusty had obviously figured out that mom dating meant more than hanging out at the movies and holding hands, which explained why he was so freaked out about it. Ricky didn't want to know what was going on with her romantic life either, at least none of the actual specifics, but he was glad that she was finally allowing herself to experience all that again.

Now that they had actually started _seeing one another_ , Ricky figured that all he had to do was kick back and let the mutual adoration steer that particular _ship_. He had to admit that he was a little surprised when they moved in together _before_ Andy popped the question, but as long as they were happy, everything was moving along just fine.

Until the heart attack, anyway.

Ricky didn't realize, until then, just how deeply his mother had fallen. He had a pretty good idea that she loved the guy, he was living in the condo and they were looking for a house together, but it never actually occurred to him that it could be that soul shattering, unable to breathe, cannot live without you, kind of love. At least, he didn't realize it until he flew down the night Andy had his heart attack and got a good look at his mother. He had never seen that kind of fear or grief in her eyes before.

He didn't have a lot to compare it to, but he was old enough to remember what it was like when his father would leave them. He remembered all the times that his mother took him back, those times when Jack promised that it would be _different_ than it was the last time. Ricky knew what a broken heart looked like. He witnessed his mother go through that enough times, enough to know that whatever had gone wrong between them she had loved Jack. Whatever she said now about holding on to that marriage out of professional convenience and religion, Ricky knew otherwise. He let his mom believe that he believed that, because it made it easier for her, but he had seen her hurt before. He just never saw her looking that scared of losing someone that wasn't gone yet.

She was holding it together okay, that's what his mom did. She took care of everyone around her, but who the hell was taking care of her? Ricky knew that his mom had a habit of putting herself last. She did that when he and Emily were kids. She sacrificed a lot for them. It wasn't just about money, either, although that was certainly true, especially in those early years. It was her time, her sleep, sometimes even her sanity or her health. It was who his mother was, she took care of the people that mattered to her, and rarely considered her own needs in the process. She was keeping an eye on Andy's kids, keeping her team updated, coordinating his medical care now that she was his proxy, and putting on a strong front for the man that was lying in a hospital bed. All the while she was terrified, she was devastated, and she was so in love that she didn't know where she ended and he began.

They got through it, thank God. Ricky didn't know what was going to happen after that. A lot of things seemed up in the air. For one thing, they stopped looking for a house… not because they didn't want one, but it just seemed illogical with Andy on desk duty and the two of them not really sure how the job situation was going to workout with his latest health scare. Ricky was expecting things to slow down for them again; at least until they both caught their breath. It would have been totally understandable. He was surprised when they called to tell him about the engagement. Surprised, but not worried.

Come to think of it, his mother had sounded almost worried. He didn't know why. He and Emily both liked the guy. They were happy for her. That was why they had done everything that they did to make sure that she could have her Catholic wedding. They knew what that would mean for her. It was all worth it, even the tongue lashing that he and Rusty had gotten for their part in meddling with Andy's ex-wife.

Once again, though, Ricky had to say… his man Flynn did not let him down. When his mother sat them down to come clean with him, Andy had stared at them for a moment, after Rusty finished explaining how he had called Nicole and explained the issue with the annulments and the church, and gotten her to agree to talk to her mother about it all. Then he had thrown his head back and laughed. Really laughed.

 _They both looked cautiously at their mother from where they sat on the sofa, shoulder to shoulder, to gauge her reaction. Honestly, they were a little concerned about his sanity. Had this year finally taken its toll? Was it all just too much for him?_

 _Sharon's mouth dropped open. She was standing beside his chair, arms folded over her chest, where she had overseen her sons' confessions. She reached down and smacked her fiancé's shoulder with the back of her hand. "Andrew Charles Flynn, this is_ not _funny!"_

" _Yes it is." He rubbed a finger across his upper lip. When he looked up at her, his dark eyes were sparkling happily. "It's funny because this is all_ your _fault."_

 _Her eyes widened. Sharon's hands went to her hips. "How in the world is this my fault? They were the ones that meddled," she waved a hand at her sons, "after I expressly_ forbid _it," she stated, and slanted a look toward her boys as she spoke._

 _Andy shook his head at her. He gave her an indulgent, adoring smile. "Sharon, if you'd just told me this is what you wanted, I could have called Vicki myself and the boys wouldn't have gotten involved at all."_

" _That's exactly the point," she exclaimed. "This had to be your decision, Andy. I can't dictate the terms of your previous marriage, and whether or not you get it annulled. That was something that you were going to have to come to yourself and_ none of us _," she shot another look at her sons, "should be involved in that decision."_

" _Sharon…" Andy just reached for her hand. "You were the one who said that you would like to get married in the Church,_ if it was possible _, but we didn't talk about it beyond that. You had me at_ yes _, sweetheart. After that, I was good with however you wanted to approach it. The hard part was done."_

 _She drew her hand back and her brow arched. "The hard part?" She asked pointedly. "What exactly is that supposed to mean, Andy?" From the corner of her eye she could see the boys trying to get up, obviously to make their escape. "Don't even think about it," she pointed at them, "sit."_

 _Rusty and Ricky exchanged another look. With a sigh they dropped back onto the sofa. "Just trying to offer you two some privacy," Ricky said._

 _Sharon smiled at him, but it was far too saccharine for anyone's liking. "Oh, now you want to offer us some privacy? Don't move. I'm not finished with either of you yet." She turned her attention back to Andy and folded her arms across her chest. "Or you. I'm waiting for an answer, Lieutenant."_

" _Nope." He grinned crookedly at her. Andy shook his finger at her. "You don't get to use that here. We're not married yet, so the only place you get to be totally in charge is at work. Everything here is still a discussion."_

 _Ricky couldn't help himself. He snorted a quick laugh. When they both glared at him, he quickly turned to Rusty. "So, how about those Dodgers this year, huh?"_

" _Then please explain, Andy, how it is that asking me to marry you is the_ hard part _, because I am just dying to_ discuss _it with you," Sharon drawled._

 _Andy rolled his eyes at her. "Easy. You try being the guy. You get to stand there looking all surprised and happy, but we've got to pick out the perfect ring," he started ticking it off on his fingers, "find the perfect time, and the perfect place, hope nothing gets in the way, and hope to hell we don't end up having another heart attack in the process… and frankly, I was just thrilled that I didn't end up tripping and falling off the balcony with the way that the last year has gone. So yeah," he smirked at her, "that was the_ hard part _. Anything else can't come close, and as far as I'm concerned, I'll marry you in the Church, on a mountain, under a tent on the side of the road if that's what you want. We can have a Priest, we can have a judge, it can be Tao or one of his damned Badge of Justice pals, as long as it's not in the morgue and it ain't Morales marrying you to my corpse, it's all fair game."_

" _You know," Rusty said, "that last part might have been a little bit of over—" he trailed off when his mother glowered at them yet_ again _. "Okay, never mind. No more helping; got it."_

" _So then," Sharon replied, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "what you are saying is…"_

 _He sat forward on the edge of his chair and pulled her around to stand between his legs. His hands rubbed the sides of her legging clad thighs, from knee to hip. Andy tipped his head back and offered her another crooked grin, the one that usually got him out of trouble. "If getting married in the Church is what you want, what you really want, Sharon, then that's what we'll do. It looks like it's definitely going to be possible now, thanks to the kids, but I'm not going to blame them for meddling. None of this stuff is as important to me as it is to you, but that doesn't mean that I don't recognize that it_ is _important to you. It also doesn't mean that I'm not willing to discuss it. Okay?"_

 _Whatever their mother's response was, they didn't hear it. When she leaned down to kiss him, Ricky nudged his brother. That was their cue. It was time to make a break for it while she was distracted. Rusty seemed to read his mind because he was already getting up and making his way toward the hall. They didn't get more than a few steps past their mother's desk when they were drawn up short._

" _Ah, ah, ah!" Her voice sounded behind them. "We're not finished with the two of you yet."_

 _Rusty sighed. "Crap."_

 _Ricky's shoulders slumped. "Damn," he muttered. They shared a look and turned around to walk back into the living room._

 _Her eyes were narrowed, but her hands were still resting against Andy's shoulders. He was trying not to look_ too _amused at their plight. "What do you have to say for yourselves?" She asked them._

 _The boys looked at each other again. Rusty shifted where he stood. "We're really sorry for butting in where we shouldn't have, Andy."_

" _Yeah," Ricky continued for him. "That probably wasn't very cool, even if our intentions were very good."_

" _And we'll never do it again," Rusty said quietly._

" _Oh." Ricky's head snapped around. His brows shot up. He grinned at his little brother. "No, we will. We'll just work harder at not getting caught."_

 _Andy started laughing again. Sharon pushed him away from her as she turned away. "Get out of here, both of you, and_ you _," she rolled her eyes at her fiancé, "you are no help at all."_

" _You're right." He half rose from his chair, just enough that he was able to curl an arm around her waist and draw her back. "I'm terrible. Bad, very bad boys," he waved his hand at Ricky and Rusty as he pulled Sharon onto his lap. "Now go to your room and stay there…"_

" _Oh god." Rusty made a face as he turned. He didn't have to be told twice. "That will never be_ not _disgusting," he groaned._

" _Better get used to it, little brother." Ricky beat a hasty retreat too, because really, he didn't want to see it either. At least she was laughing now, and not lecturing them anymore. "You know," Ricky told his brother, "I think I'm gonna have to call him dad…"_

 _Rusty just snorted. "I'm still working on_ Andy _, but if that makes you happy…"_

It wasn't really their happiness that Ricky was worried about, however. It was his mother's happiness. If any of them had one thing in common, it was that they really wanted her to get everything that she wanted and deserved. Part of Ricky did still feel bad about the meddling, specifically that it had upset his mother. A couple of weeks later, when he learned that an engagement party had still not been planned, mainly because she and Andy were still both just too busy, he decided to do it for them.

They had a lot going on, what with the almost being blown up and having to try and piece case files back together and re-catalogue evidence that was not completely destroyed by the bomb that had gone off in their murder room. Then there was his mother's promotion, something that everyone was really happy about, but it was keeping her busy. There was some kind of restructuring thing going on. Ricky didn't understand it all, but Andy had grumbled about it a few times… or more precisely, he had grumbled about how he was still stuck behind a desk.

His mother seemed pretty skeptical when he offered to take on the planning, but he promised her that it would be worth it. When he told her that he would even find a way to get Emily out to Los Angeles for the event, she agreed to leave it in his hands.

Ricky had obviously lost his mind, though. Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine that planning a simple party to celebrate the upcoming marriage of two people, one of whom was his mother, could be so hard. Although in hindsight, the difficulty was probably him. He just wanted it all to be perfect.

What was so wrong with that?

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	2. Chapter 2

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. Most of this is a product of my own craziness, but Chapter 2 is dedicated to her. Also, when you reach Chapter 2... I wrote that before Flynn's so-called baking attempt, so now I'm even more pleased with how it turned out.

All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 _Wrong_ was a bit of an overstatement. The problem was in the planning itself. He had to coordinate the timing of the party so that it worked with everyone's schedule. That meant getting his sister and both of Andy's kids to send him their schedules for the next couple of months, along with Rusty and Gus. Ricky knew that it was really going to be important to his mom and future stepdad to make sure that _all_ the kids were present. Outside of that, he figured that if he planned it far enough in advance, the rest of their friends and family could work it into their schedules.

His grandparents were another big factor. They didn't do a lot of traveling, and Ricky would liked to have held the party closer to them, but with his mother and Andy's job to consider, they couldn't guarantee that there wouldn't be a last minute case or emergency to throw everything off. The engagement party was going to have to happen in Los Angeles. Ricky had to arrange travel for them, and once a date was figured out, book the hotels for everyone. There was no way that his mother's condo was going to accommodate everyone, not even close.

He finally decided to set it for the middle of May. Ricky knew that Mother's Day weekend would be problematic, people would have plans, but he decided the following weekend would be sufficient enough. It was also close enough to the holiday that Emily could squeeze in a decent visit with their mother. Sharon would get something that she didn't often have the opportunity to enjoy, all three of her kids home at the same time.

As they got closer to the event, Ricky had to admit that he was really beginning to feel a little bit stressed. He was scheduled to fly in a few days before the party to finalize all the details and spend some time with his family, but the day that he arrived, Ricky was ready to throw his hands up and turn the planning over to someone who had a little more experience with that sort of thing. He arrived in Los Angeles to find his mother and her team involved in another complicated case, the caterer had the menu for the party all wrong, in spite of how many times they had gone over it, and the hotel had screwed up his booking so that they were short a room.

Ricky fell face first onto his brother's bed. "The whole thing is turning into a nightmare. Thank God she's only getting married the once…" He lifted his head and groaned, "well, the once after the first time. Anyway," he dropped his head onto the bed again. "Emily is rooming with me, but she's not happy about it. The grandparents have the other room, and Aunt Helen has decided that she and Uncle Alan can't get away right now anyway." His mother's other siblings had decided to wait until the wedding, so it was just her parents flying in to meet the man that she was going to marry.

"So why not just give Emily the other room?" Rusty frowned at the top of his brother's head. "If your Aunt and Uncle aren't coming, then you should have one free."

"Because," Ricky groaned, "instead of calling me so that I could handle it with the hotel, Aunt Helen decided to cancel the booking herself. That's how we lost two rooms instead of one." He flopped over onto his back and stared at the ceiling over their heads. "Emily's just going to have to deal with it. It's not like we haven't shared before, and besides, at least she doesn't have to stay with dad." He sighed. "I think I got the catering issue worked out. It's a seafood and vegetarian option, not chicken. How hard is that anyway? I should have just let the Country Club handle it," he mused. "I thought I was saving a couple hundred bucks, but if I had known they'd mess up the menu three days before, I'd have just paid it." They would be having the party at a nice country club in Malibu that had a lovely view of the ocean.

"I don't get it." Rusty shook his head at his brother. "You know that mom is going to be happy with anything that you plan. Why are you freaking out about this? You know this is way bigger than anything she had in mind, right? She was just going to host a few friends here, maybe order some takeout." He grinned at his brother. "I think we're going to have to start calling you _sonzilla_ , which is obviously way worse than any _bridezilla_ ever thought about being."

"No," Ricky said, "you really don't get it, do you?" He lifted his head and looked at his brother. "Mom wouldn't plan anything like this because it's about her. Make it about one of us and you can believe that it would be ten times bigger than anything that you or I could come up with." He sat up and scooted toward the head of the bed to lean against the headboard. "Rusty, this is a big deal. Our mom is getting married, and this is our chance to show her how happy we are for her, _all_ of us. It needs to be a big deal."

"Okay, I'm not saying it isn't a big deal," Rusty turned in his desk chair and leaned forward. "All I'm saying is, you're getting pretty close to putting yourself in the heart attack club with Andy, and somehow I don't think Mom would appreciate that too much. You're right, if it was us, she would go all out. I just can't help but feel that this whole thing has just gotten too big. It's just mom and Andy. They've both been married before, or are you forgetting the ringing in our ears from that whole annulment business?"

Ricky crossed his legs at the ankles and just shook his head at his brother. "You're new, Rusty. You weren't there, okay. You didn't know her before. You get Mom now, when she's solid and content. You get her when she gets to be happy and in love. You weren't there for the other stuff." His gaze drifted away and grew a little stormy, and a little sad. "You missed all the fighting. You weren't around when my dad walked out on us. What? You got to see how they are together now, but that doesn't count. Rusty…" He sighed. "You never had to sit at the top of the stairs and listen to my dad call our Mom a bitch because he stumbled through the door at three in the morning, drunk and broke, and thinking that sex would fix everything. You've never heard mom crying in her bathroom, where she thinks that we can't hear it, because my dad left us. You weren't here for all the years of ballet class and baseball practice, computer club, games, and recitals. You missed out on Mom when she was getting something like three hours of sleep a night, if she got to sleep at all, because she had to work late and then get up early and drive me and Emily all over town. You get mom when she's in charge of everything, and knows how to juggle it all. You get her when she's not in debt up to her eyeballs and taking extra shifts to pay for braces." Ricky looked at his brother again. His gaze had grown serious. "She gave us everything. She worked hard and she never complained, and she did it for us. So yeah, yeah I'm making a big deal about this whole engagement party thing. Mom gets what she wants, Rusty. She gets more than she wants. She gets it all, and it's going to be perfect."

"Okay." Rusty held up his hands. "Mom gets everything that she wants. I'm just surprised, that's all. I know that you were all about the annulment and everything, but I guess I just didn't think that you were _that_ okay with this."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ricky rolled his eyes at his brother. The kid could be pretty dense sometimes. "Look, mom's happy right? Andy is okay, we like him. He's all about making mom happy. He said that he's not going to hurt her and that he's emotionally ready for all of this, and I believe him. He wants mom to have everything that she wants as much as we do. I mean, face it, Rusty. Mom has a lot of hoops. Andy has jumped through all of them. Even that proposal. You're the one who said he wanted that huge, grand, romantic gesture. You talked him out of it and he went with it. Why? Because of mom. I get that you didn't want to see it before, but the guy has been crazy about her for _years_. They're both on the same page, at the same time, so yeah… it's going to be a party, a really big party. Also…" He smiled suddenly. His dark eyes were sparkling. "You finally get to meet the grandparents. In person, and not over Skype," he said.

"Are you kidding?" Rusty flashed a grin at him. "They've had you forever, they're desperate to meet me. I'm an improvement."

"Funny guy." Ricky picked up a pillow and threw it at him. "Anyway, country club is a go. Menu is fixed. Gus is making the cake, and the appetizers, sparkling cider all the way because we don't want to risk anyone handing Andy the wrong glass… I think he could handle it," he continued, when Rusty made a face at him, "but why put him in that position, yeah? Besides, we're hoping they don't get called out on a case, but we can't make any promises, so it works out for everyone. Let's see, what else… Rooms are good. Oh, Emily is taking mom shopping when she gets here, I'm picking up the grandparents… and if we make it through Saturday evening without any major catastrophes, I'm going on vacation. You may or may not be invited."

Outside the partially cracked door of Rusty's room, Sharon was leaning against the wall. She listened to the boys' conversation devolve into playful banter. Her fingers were pressed against her lips. She had heard all of the rest of it too. She had known that Ricky was going to a great deal of trouble to get her parents and his sister into town for the engagement party, but she hadn't realized the full scale of it all. He wouldn't tell her. All he said was that it was taken care of. Now she understood why.

It wasn't only the planning an expense that had had her standing in the hallway, moisture filling her eyes. It was everything else that he said too. She tried so hard over the years to keep him and his sister from seeing the worst of her marriage to their father, but shielding them completely was just impossible. No wonder they had gone to such lengths to secure their father's agreement to the annulment. It was hard to hold that bit of meddling against them now. They only wanted her to be happy.

They seemed to miss the fact that she was already incredibly happy. Her children were healthy and successful, happy in their own right, and then there was Andy. Sharon pushed away from the wall and walked quietly down the hall to her own room. She paused just outside the closed door. She took a breath and leaned her forehead against the cool wood. Andy made her very happy.

" _Mom has a lot of hoops. Andy has jumped through all of them._ " Sharon could still hear Ricky's voice in her head. Yes, she supposed that he was correct. She had taken this relationship very slowly, they were risking a lot by attempting a romance. It wasn't only their working relationship, they were very good friends. She was never trying to be coy about that. Andy was, in many ways, her best friend. Yes, she had other friends, and so did he. Those relationships were different and unique, as were the people that they shared them with.

Of course she had known that Andy was attracted to her from the start, she wasn't blind. She was married. She wasn't ready to let go of that yet. He waited until she was. Then he waited until she was ready for something more. Sharon had to suppress the urge to groan as she considered everything else that he waited for. Ricky was right; Andy had jumped through every hoop that she had placed in front of him, without complaint and only pushing her when she needed it. He knew her that well. He knew when to prod, when to let her know _as her partner_ that he needed more from their relationship. Sometimes she was ready, and other times she wasn't. These were always things that they discussed, and he was always more than patient with her, even when it was frustrating for him.

" _Even that proposal_." Sharon's hand gripped the doorknob, but she didn't immediately turn it. She thought about the rest of that statement. Apparently their romantic evening on the balcony had been a much grander plan at some point. It was a perfect evening, but she had no problem imagining that Andy might have had other plans.

Looking back on it now, their relationship was almost entirely at her pace. Andy had sold his house and moved in with _her_ because it was the most convenient option, not just with the commute, but so that Rusty wouldn't have to move immediately either. Sharon wanted to get married in the Church, and their annulments were being processed. He had even gone to dinner with his ex-wife to discuss the matter, braving everything that she could possibly throw at him, although he reported that it wasn't a terrible evening.

He had apparently also come clean with her sons about some of his past, his previous marriage, and how he felt about her. Sharon knew that must have been difficult. He was as private a person as she was, and he was always very open about his past mistakes. She knew it would be difficult to look her sons in the eye and lay all of that out for them, while also promising that he wouldn't hurt her.

Sharon chewed on the corner of her lip and gave the knob a turn. She stepped into their bedroom and a smile immediately curved her lips. Andy was seated on the bed, back propped against the headboard and a laptop resting across his legs. His ankles were crossed, and the dark reading glasses that he wouldn't wear at work were perched on his nose. He made quite the handsome figure in his jeans and sweater.

"Can you believe this crap?" Andy looked up at her as she came into the room. He waved a hand at his computer. "I checked out a couple of those websites that Buzz told us about, the ones he found when he was helping Provenza with his wedding last year, and you won't believe what this reception is going to cost us. 150 dollars a plate, _a plate_." He rolled his eyes heavenward. "Sharon, I love you, but there's no way in hell that I'm paying 150 dollars for a plate of rubbery chicken that Provenza is just going to complain about, when we both know he's just coming for the open bar and the cake."

"Hm." Sharon chuckled quietly as she walked in to the bathroom to change for the evening. They had eaten dinner at work, and she was only going to tell the boys that they were home before turning in for the evening. Since her sons were otherwise occupied, and now her mind was filled with other thoughts, she decided that she would talk to them at breakfast instead.

"Here's a thought," he continued, and lifted his voice just enough so that it would carry into the bathroom where she was taking off her makeup. "Why can't we just order food for the ones that we like? We can get Provenza a hotdog."

Sharon rolled her eyes as she went through her nightly routine. "That may be a hard sell," she replied, voice a little thicker than usual, but she hoped that he was too distracted to notice. "Patrice would just share with him," she said, and hoped that if her watery eyes were still red when she was finished, that he would just assume it was from her makeup remover.

"Right." Andy sighed heavily. "The wife. I forgot about that. He's got a permanent plus one now. Dammit." Andy shook his head as he continued to scroll through the page. "Oh, this is great." Amusement filled his tone. "For 200 a plate we can get a hummus and vegetarian option, with smoked sea bass. You know what, that would piss the old man off. Don't ask me why we're paying more for fish and vegetables, but it would be worth it to see the look on his face. I'm writing that down as an option."

She shook her head. He was entirely too gleeful about that. The menu didn't especially matter to her, not at this point. Sharon drew her bottom lip between her teeth and stared at her reflection. If it made him happy, she thought. Sharon lowered her gaze to the makeup smudged cotton ball in her hand and sighed. "I think you should," She told him. "How about a gluten-free cake," she suggested, "you know how he feels about that."

Andy chortled happily as he made notes in their wedding planner. "That's not a bad idea. See, this is what I need you for. I never would have thought of that."

"Hm." Sharon grew silent as she finished taking off her makeup. She washed and moisturized her face before changing her clothes. When she left the bathroom, she was dressed in one his plain, white t-shirts and little else. Sharon combed her fingers through her hair as she walked to the bed. She laid the yoga pants that she had decided to forego, along with her robe, on the bench at the foot of the bed before climbing onto the mattress. After sliding beneath the sheet and the duvet she moved closer to Andy and leaned against his side. "What else did you find?"

He turned the computer toward her and grinned crookedly. "Gluten-free, low sugar, raspberry swirl." His brows bobbed up and down happily. "The icing is non-dairy, and the raspberry is your favorite." He kissed the side of her head before turning his attention back to the computer.

"It is," she confirmed, "but you would rather have lemon." He didn't have much of a sweet tooth, which was why it had been easy for him to give up the ice cream so many years before. It was the dairy that was the problem, although he could tolerate cheese if he was careful about it, so the non-dairy part of it would be a must. Sharon rested her chin against his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his. They hadn't even picked a date yet. The wedding plans were more ideas and musings at this point. They had chosen invitations, but those wouldn't be finished or mailed until a date was decided upon.

"Yeah, maybe." He shrugged it off as unnecessary. "I like raspberry too, so it's okay." He slanted a look at her again and grinned. "They had me at low-sugar. Provenza is going to have a fit."

Sharon couldn't stop from rolling her eyes at him. "Andy, when did our wedding turn into a prime opportunity for you to make your partner scream?" She tilted her head at him, although there was an indulgent smile curving her lips.

"Let's see…" He tipped his head back and thought about it. "When he told me that I needed to see a shrink because I wanted to ask you out… And again when I bought the ring and he said I should consider having myself committed. He didn't think you'd ever give me the time of day, and after our first date, when I wouldn't tell him what happened, the old pain in my ass called my sponsor and arranged a meeting. Obviously it hadn't gone well, and you must have let me down gently, because the fact that I wouldn't kiss and tell meant there was nothing to tell about. We won't even get into what he said when I told him that I was planning on asking you to move in with me. Let's just leave it at, he's going to eat those words, Sharon. I mean, yeah, I know that I got pretty lucky in all this, but he doesn't need to make it seem like I'm a charity case."

He was grumbling about his partner, but the words, coming so soon after the conversation that she had overheard between the boys, had her sitting up in the bed. "No," she told him, "I think that I'm the lucky one."

Something in her tone drew his attention. Andy looked at her, really looked at her for the first time since she had joined him and his eyes narrowed. He closed the computer and placed it on the table beside him. His glasses followed. "Sharon, what's wrong?" She had his attention now.

"Nothing." She swept a lock of hair behind her ear, but he was studying her closely now. She looked away from him and scraped her teeth across her bottom lip again. "Andy," she spoke quietly, "is this really what you want?" She gestured at the computer before she met his gaze. "All of it, the wedding, and the party, and a reception, is any of that really what _you_ want?"

Part of him had wondered if the engagement was just too good to be true. It felt like a dream that she would actually say yes. It was just too easy that the other pieces, their annulments and the kids' blessings, would fall into place the way that they did. He felt his stomach turn over while he watched her. "I thought this was what you wanted, Sharon. The Catholic wedding, and the party to celebrate the engagement, and our kids on board with all of it." Was it too much, too fast? Had he spooked her with the engagement, and now she was digging her heels in, slowing them down again, or worse.

The concern was there, certainly, but Sharon also saw a sudden flash of fear before he closed it down. She reached for his hands and held them tightly. "I want our marriage recognized by our church," she told him, "but the rest of it…" Sharon slowly shook her head. "Andy, all I need for that is you and a priest."

He felt himself relax, just a bit. It wasn't cold feet, but she did seem a little overwhelmed by all of the pre-planning plans. "Sharon you deserve to have the wedding that you want."

There was that word again. _Deserve_. He used that before, when talking about the ring. He seemed to think that she deserved so much more than he could give her. "Please believe me when I tell you, Andy Flynn, that you are more than enough. I don't need a big wedding or a fancy reception. Honey, if it makes you happy to torture Provenza with a vegetarian dinner option, hummus appetizers, and a gluten-free cake, then I'm all for it." She looked down for a moment and her tongue swept out to moisten her lips. "I had the big wedding," she said quietly, "I had the beautiful reception. I wore the big, poofy dress, and I said _I do_ while I was wearing my grandmother's veil." Sharon met his gaze again and shrugged one of her shoulders. His t-shirt slipped down to expose the smooth skin when she did. "It didn't matter. It wasn't about the marriage, it was about the event. Yes, my religion is important to me, and yes it is important that our marriage be recognized by that religion, but it's the marriage that I want, not the wedding."

"Come here." Andy pulled her out from beneath the covers and into his lap. His arms wrapped around her. "I could give a damn about the wedding, or any of the rest of it. I just want you," he said gruffly.

"I had a feeling." He was jumping through hoops again. Sharon moved so that she was straddling his lap. She cupped his face in her hands and leaned forward to kiss him. "You've got me," she told him, "the rest is just… hummus."

He snorted a laugh. "That would have been funny." His hands stroked up and down her arms. "I'm really good with keeping it small. Just you, me, our kids… _maybe_ Provenza," he conceded with a sigh. "As soon as our annulments are processed, just point me where you want me. I'll be the nervous guy pacing at the alter, praying that you haven't changed your mind."

"That will never happen," she promised him. Sharon stroked a single finger down the bridge of his nose with a smile. "You know, it occurs to me, we don't have to wait until the annulments are processed. We could have a simple civil service before then, and then you and I could go before Father Thomas for the rest. Then I wouldn't have to worry about you deciding that I'm just not worth the trouble," she teased.

"Are you nuts?" Andy slipped an arm around her waist and lifted her off of him. He laid her down on the mattress and stretched out alongside her. "Woman, in case it skipped your notice, I'm completely in love with you." He swept her hair back from her face. His smile softened. "We wouldn't have to wait at all, if that's what you want. We could get married whenever."

"We could." Her lips curved. "You know, rumor has it that my son is planning quite the event for this weekend. Our kids are going to be here, and you will finally meet my parents…" Her father didn't seem to consider _Skype_ as an appropriate medium for introductions. "Maybe while everyone is already here…"

Andy propped his head in his hand while he thought about it. His other hand was resting against her stomach. He drew lazy circles against her skin through the soft cotton of the t-shirt. "Think I could get Gus to do some hummus appetizers just for Provenza?"

"Oh my god." Sharon covered her face. "It's like I am marrying both of you." She heaved a sigh and let her arms drop. "I am sure that if you ask him to, Gus would be willing to do that, yes." She arched a brow at him. "Well?"

"Sharon, I've been patient," he said seriously, "but I just need you to understand that I'm a packaged deal." His hand slipped slowly lower, until it found the hem of the t-shirt. He drew his fingertips gently along the skin of her upper thigh.

She smacked his hand away with a laugh. "Yes, I know. I will endeavor to try and understand it." She reached up and cupped the back of his head. Sharon drew him down for a slow, lingering kiss. "You and I can go and see one of our judge friends," she said against his mouth, "and we will surprise everyone at the party. It can be our reception."

"What about your parents?" He lifted his head to study her closely. "Don't you want them with us?" Now he worried that she was the one that was rushing things.

"No." She smiled at him. "They'll be here to celebrate with us, yes, but I think we're both of an age where we don't need them to witness the actual vows. This marriage is about you and I, and while I am overjoyed to share it with them afterward, I meant what I said before. I only need you for that. I love you, Andy, and I want this to be ours. The problem with both of our first marriages was that we went into them with other people in mind. This time, it's just about us. I think that our families and our friends know us well enough, by now, to understand why we would want to keep this to ourselves."

He pressed another light kiss to her bottom lip. "Yeah, I think they do." It had taken them a long time to get to this point, and now that they had arrived, nothing else mattered but knowing that she was going to be his wife. They could share their happiness with those they loved, but the union was theirs.

Sharon sat up when he moved away from her. She drew her knees toward her chest and folded her arms loosely around them as her eyes tracked his progress through the room. It was his turn to get changed for bed. "If you wanted, we could even plan that trip to Napa that you had to cancel."

"Monterey was actually my first choice," Andy told her, "but it was off-season. In a few weeks, it won't be." He poked his head out of the bathroom and smiled at her. "You'll like that better. The shopping is better and so are the views."

She rested her chin against one of her knees and made a face at him. "I will like it better, Andy, but the point of all this is not just to do what _I_ like."

"I'd rather go to Tahoe," he told her, "But you don't like the lake at all. Monterey isn't bad. You'll be there. I don't mind the beach, Sharon."

She rolled her eyes and climbed back under the covers when she heard the soft whirring of his toothbrush begin. No one could say that she hadn't tried, she supposed. If they were only going to be getting away for a weekend, Monterey wasn't a bad idea. They would have to plan a longer trip for a later date. Sharon leaned back and got comfortable again. When Andy rejoined her, dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt, she held back the blankets for him. "I will get us the time off and we'll book it," she told him, and got comfortable with her head lying against his shoulder.

"Good." He combed his fingers through her hair. Andy kissed the top of her head before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and getting comfortable. "You know that I was just joking about the hummus, right?"

"Hm." She only hummed in response and closed her eyes. He wasn't, she knew that he wasn't. There was going to be hummus at their party and Ricky was probably going to have a fit, which was mild in comparison to what his partner would do to him, but Sharon didn't mind. If it made him happy… that was all that really mattered.

They both groaned when Andy's phone began ringing. "God," he covered his face with his free hand. "I really hope that's not serious. I just took off my pants."

"Really!" Rusty's aggrieved voice could be heard in the bathroom, through the thin walls and the closed door. "I don't need to hear these things!"

Sharon pressed her face into Andy's chest to suppress her laughter. He was already reaching for his phone. "If nothing else," he muttered, "we have got to get a bigger condo…"

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

After the decision was made, there was nothing that could stop them from taking care of the _legality_ of their union. Some might question the sanity in it all, and the lack of romance or sentimentality in just rushing across the street to City Hall while they were on their lunch break to pick up their marriage license. There wasn't a lot of time, while they were in the middle of their current case, to take care of the rest. That had to wait until Hobbs made her deal, which timed out perfectly on the day that Emily was set to arrive.

Sharon was crossing her fingers, as was the rest of the team, that they wouldn't pick up another case before the weekend arrived. Chief Mason had already made sure that Major Crimes would _not_ be on call that weekend, barring anything that Robbery Homicide could not handle on its own. Making it to the weekend, however, was another matter.

Their unpredictable work schedule was the reason that Sharon had insisted that her parents not arrive until Friday. Emily was coming in a couple of days early for a more extended visit, with the understanding that she may not be able to see much of her mother on those days. It was just as well; she decided she would help Ricky with the last minute party plans.

As it turned out, once their case wrapped, Sharon dismissed everyone at promptly five in the evening. She called it a case of saving on their overtime budget, with no one the wiser to what was really planned. Sharon's old friend Judge Grove was meeting them to take care of the paperwork, since truly that was all a civil ceremony typically entailed. They would save their vows for later, when they stood in front of the priest.

It only took ten minutes. They spent thirty seconds on signing the certificates, and the rest of that time listening to the Judge give them a hard time for sneaking off to get married without telling anyone, and without even so much as exchanging rings. To be honest, neither of them had really thought about rings.

That was something that they took care of on their way home.

It wasn't the first time that she caught herself staring at the rings on her finger since they had been placed there that evening. A soft smile curved her lips. Sharon was standing at the vanity in the bathroom, watching the way that the overhead lights caught the diamonds of her wedding set and set them ablaze.

Just a simple, gold band was all that they had gotten for Andy. It was all that he wanted. Simple, but with so much meaning. They weren't done yet, by any means. They still had to have their annulments granted, go in front of their priest, and of course there was the party to get through that weekend. It all seemed so much simpler now, however.

The _hard part_ , as Andy would say, was already done.

"Hey." His voice drew her attention. He was leaning against the open bathroom door, grinning at her. She had drifted, lost in thought, but he was taking the smile as a good sign.

"Hey," she replied. Her eyes softened and her smile gentled. She tipped her head to the side. He was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing." He pushed away from the door and walked over to stand behind her. His hands rested against her shoulders. She still had on the silk blouse that she wore to work that morning. He liked this one, with its low neckline and the tiny, pale pink flowers. His hands slid down her arms and then he wrapped them loosely around her waist. He knew that she planned to shower and change before the kids got back. They were taking all of them to dinner. They weren't going to tell them the news until the party, but she wanted to go out with her three kids and enjoy the fact that they were all home at the same time. Andy turned his face into her hair and gently nuzzled her ear. "You're stuck with me now," he rumbled quietly.

"Oh, I see." She laid her hands over his and leaned back against him. Sharon let her eyes close. "That was your master plan all along, hm?"

"Absolutely." While her hands stroked his forearms, his lips moved against the soft skin of her neck. "As much as I want to celebrate the success of my careful planning," he teased, "I'm afraid we can't." Andy pressed his lips against her shoulder and sighed. "Rusty just called. They're stuck in traffic."

"Oh no." Sharon sighed. Her arms dropped. She turned in his embrace and looked up at him. "I was afraid of that when Emily's connection got delayed in Chicago. Did they have any idea how long they would be?"

"He thinks it might be an hour." Andy cupped her face and pressed a light kiss to her down-turned mouth. "They aren't going to make it back in time to swing by and get Gus. He asked me to do it." Ricky had gone to the airport with his brother, and the plan was that they would get back in plenty of time to pick up Gus, who would be arriving by bus from Napa.

That was a relationship that had taken a somewhat odd turn lately. The boys were attempting the _long distance_ thing, now that Gus had moved to Napa for work, but the writing seemed to be on the wall that their relationship was close to ending. They weren't seeing very much of each other and Rusty seemed resigned to the inevitable. Gus still wanted to try, however, so he was willing.

Sharon was trying to stay out of it. Whatever came of that relationship, it was going to be a valuable, if painful, lesson for Rusty. She was still incredibly fond of Gus, but it was her son's tender heart that she was most concerned about. The boys were both very young, and there would be other loves in both of their lives, but that did not mean that this relationship had not been important or good for both of them.

"Hm." Sharon hummed. She laid her hands against his chest. A smile appeared. "And you're going," she surmised.

"Yeah." Andy shrugged. "The kid needs a ride… I wouldn't stick anyone on a metro bus at this hour, least of all someone that I like. Besides, Gus has spent enough time on a bus today." His eyes sparkled down at her. "I'll run and grab Gus, you can get ready here, and I should have enough time for a quick shower when I get back."

Her hand stroked the length of his tie. "I was really hoping that you would join me for that shower," the corners of her mouth twitched toward a teasing smile that only grew when he groaned, "but I suppose that it's true, no good deed ever goes unpunished. I think I'll just have to settle for a bath instead," she sighed.

Andy groaned again. "You're killing me, woman." His arms slid around her waist again. Andy pressed his hands against the small of her back as he drew her closer. His lips ghosted her cheek before they covered her mouth, the kiss playful and light.

A low, throaty chuckle was his response. Sharon wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to him. She tipped her face toward him and nipped at his bottom lip. "You should go," she told him, although she wasn't in any hurry to let go of him yet.

"Yeah." His lips moved along her jaw before going back to her neck. "I really should." He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly before he let his hands fall away and he took a step back. "Later," he promised.

"Absolutely." She nodded. Sharon knew that Rusty planned on spending the night with Gus. One of the chef's that Gus worked with in Napa had a place on the beach, and was letting the boys use it for the weekend. The other two would be at the hotel. They would have the condo to themselves. "I am looking forward to it, Mr. Flynn."

"Hm." His eyes narrowed. "I think you've got a naughty streak, Mrs. Flynn."

Sharon simply shrugged. "Maybe. But the rest is still under discussion." Her eyes danced with amusement.

Andy huffed a sigh at her. "We're going to have that out," he promised her. He understood the professional issues that came with changing her name, but it bothered the hell out of him that his wife would still have her ex-husband's name.

"Oh yes," she rocked forward onto the balls of her feet with a wide smile. "I am looking forward to that." Sharon had been _Raydor_ for longer than she had been a police officer. It was the name under which she had built her professional reputation. She knew that she would be changing it, simply because it was appropriate and she _wanted_ to take his name, but she was having a little fun at his expense.

"I bet." Andy shook his head at her. "Just remember," he pointed at her, "there's no way in hell I'm taking that other name."

Sharon laughed as he walked away from her. "We'll definitely discuss it," she managed to say. When he only grumbled, she laughed again. He made it only halfway down the hall before Sharon stepped out of the bathroom behind him. "Oh, Andy…" She held out her hand and walked toward him. At his confused look, she nodded toward his left hand.

"Right." Andy slipped the ring off his finger and walked toward her with it. "I haven't worn one of these in over twenty years, barely an hour into it, and taking it off bothers the hell out of me."

She smiled as her fingers closed around the ring. "Well, in a few more days you won't have to take it off ever again." Sharon leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"From your lips, sweetheart." Andy cupped the back of her head and kissed her again before he turned away.

Sharon watched him go with a smile. When she heard the outer door close behind him, she walked back to their room. She placed his ring in the jewelry box that sat atop their bureau and put hers with it. Once she had closed the lid of the jewelry box, Sharon rested her hand against the smooth mahogany. There was much of their relationship that had been on display for others since its very beginning, since even before they began dating. This was theirs, and as much as she wanted to share this knowledge with the rest of their family and friends, it felt good to have something that was completely their own.

With just one more moment to indulge herself, Sharon gave a wistful sigh before she stepped away from the jewelry box. If she intended to indulge in a bath before Andy got back with Gus, she would have to get started on that now. She went to their closet and stepped inside of it. Dinner that evening wasn't going to be a grand occasion, but as she considered her options, she smiled as she reached for a cashmere wrap dress. The light blue outfit was one of his favorites. Sharon retrieved a pair of nude heels before she laid the dress on the foot of their bed.

She gathered her robe and stepped into the bathroom. It was silent in the condo. As much as she loved her kids, and absolutely adored Andy, this solitude was not something that she often had anymore. Sharon decided to enjoy that as she lit a couple of lightly scented candles in the bathroom, while letting the tub fill. A smile tugged at her lips again when she added the jasmine scented bath oil. She knew what that did to Andy. Between it and the blue dress, she was perfectly aware that he would have a difficult time keeping his hands to himself at dinner. She would enjoy his frustration, and what came later.

She hummed quietly while she pinned her hair up. The tub was slowly filling. Sharon stepped out of her clothes and pulled her robe around her body as she walked back into the bedroom. She dropped the items for dry cleaning in that basket and turned on the media player so that soft strains of music began to fill the condo. With the mood set for her quiet respite, Sharon returned to the tub. She turned off the faucet and ran her hand through the steaming water that waited for her in the tub. Her muscles were almost tingling in anticipation.

She placed her robe on a hook nearby and hissed a low breath as she stepped into the water. Sharon hummed as she lowered herself. As the steam and the heat surrounded her, she sank lower in the water and closed her eyes. She could feel all of the tension and stiffness of the last few weeks begin to leave her body and sighed again. She was suddenly incredibly grateful for Los Angeles traffic, boyfriends without transportation, and her very accommodating husband.

 _Husband_.

That brought another smile to her lips. It had been a long time since that word had meant anything at all to her, and even longer since it had produced more than hurt or contempt. She could feel a warmth that had nothing at all to do with her bath settle inside of her. It worked its way around her heart until she felt almost giddy with happiness. They had done little more than sign a couple of papers and confirm for the Judge that they were both consenting to the marriage, and it was done. A simple enough legal process for what was going to be, outside of her children, the most important relationship of the rest of her life.

Sharon didn't know how she would feel after the fact, but there was a certain amount of peace that had settled over her now. Whatever else they were to each other, and whatever else they faced as the future presented itself, they were irrevocably joined now. Soon enough they would have the blessing of the Church, and they would speak the vows that they had foregone that afternoon, but it didn't make the marriage any less real to her. Sharon drew a breath and let it out slowly. They didn't know how much time they had left together, that was a reality they had faced too many times already, but they weren't going to waste another second. She was his, and he was hers, and she was going to bask in that knowledge for as long as she was allowed.

"Well isn't that a pretty smile?" The voice interrupted her thoughts. Sharon's eyes snapped open and her gaze went to the source. He was standing in the open door that led into the bedroom. "Rusty isn't home, so I wonder what else could put that smile on your face." He shrugged. "Oh well… guess we'll never know."

Sharon barely had a moment to think, much less react, before her head was pushed beneath the water and held. The reports were wrong. Phillip Stroh wasn't on the east coast at all. He was right there.

* * *

 **-TBC-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"You know," Gus said as he and the Lieutenant left the elevator on the eleventh floor, "if we can't make it to dinner tonight, I would be glad to make something." He slipped his phone back into his pocket. His latest text from Rusty indicated that they would still be half an hour in arriving, at the very least. Traffic was moving, but it wasn't moving very quickly.

"That's something to consider," Andy agreed. "I think Sharon has her mind set on going out with the kids. We can ask her. By the time they get back here, they may not feel like going back out into that mess."

Gus laughed as they moved down the hall. "You mean Rusty may not feel like it."

"I wasn't going to say any names." Andy smirked as they approached the door. He already had his key in hand. He frowned when they reached it. The door was standing slightly ajar. He was certain that he closed it, locked it, actually, when he left. He felt his instincts turn over and a sense of dread fill him. "Hey Gus, call Rusty and ask him where they are."

The Lieutenant's tone had changed. It had gone deeper, more serious. Gus frowned and pulled his phone back out. They both listened carefully as he dialed his boyfriend's number. It wasn't Rusty that picked up, however. It was Ricky. The important thing was that they hadn't heard the phone ringing on the other side of the open door.

"Hey, Gus. He's driving. We just passed downtown. I'm thinking forty-five minutes tops. Actually, if Andy and Mom want to go ahead, we can meet you all at the restaurant. We don't have to come back to the condo first."

Gus's gaze lifted toward the now scowling Lieutenant. "I'll ask them," he said. Andy nodded, indicating that he didn't want the kids to come back to the condo. "Actually, that's why I was calling. I was just going to ask Rusty if he wanted me to bring his bag if we meet you at the restaurant." The message was relayed to his boyfriend, but he was no longer paying attention.

"Rusty says that works," Ricky replied. "I'm sure he wants to say a lot of other things too," he teased. They could hear Rusty in the background, groaning at his brother.

"I'll let you know what Sharon says," Gus told him. "We'll talk to you soon." He quickly ended the call and pushed his phone into his back pocket. "Andy?"

Andy rested his hand on the hilt of his gun. He shook his head as he placed two fingers against the door and eased it open. His gaze quickly swept the interior of the condo that he could see. "Stay on my heel," he said quietly. He didn't know if it was more dangerous to bring Gus with him or leave him in the hall, and decided after only a second that it would be better to have the other man at his back. "How much of your firearm training do you remember?" He asked in a hushed tone.

The younger man's eyes hardened. "All of it." He had done a tour in Afghanistan before choosing to muster out of the Army. He had joined the military to escape his bad home life, and realized quickly that he had just given up one war-zone for a situation that was far worse.

Andy's gaze continued to sweep the inside of the condo. There was no sound or movement in the living room or kitchen. He kept his back to the wall in the entryway and quietly opened the closet door. Sharon's purse was hanging in its usual place. His jaw clenched tightly. She hadn't run out in a hurry. He reached into it, something that he wouldn't normally do, and his fingers brushed her service weapon. He swore quietly. Andy left her purse and weapon where they were hanging and reached up to feel around on the shelf over the hanging rack of coats and sweaters. His fingers closed around a holstered back-up weapon. They each had one. Sharon kept hers in the bedroom. Andy liked having his closer at hand.

He drew the gun down and passed it to Gus. He didn't say anything else as he gestured for the younger man to move around him, toward the hall. He would let Gus cover that while he moved in a much wider path toward the kitchen. His heart was beating an almost painful rhythm against his chest as he moved. Nothing looked out of place at all. He measured his breaths, despite the tightening of his chest. He could feel the ache moving upward, into his neck as his blood pressure rose. Andy clenched his jaw. His teeth ground tightly together. The kitchen was empty and a glance at the balcony showed the same.

" _Andy_." Gus's voice was quiet and distressed. His arms were steady, and his feet remain planted as he stood to the left of the hall, using the corner between it and the door as cover. He glanced toward the other man and jerked his head toward the darkened path that led to the bedrooms and bath.

He backtracked quietly, following the same path he had taken, so as not to disturb anything. Andy joined Gus at the opening to the hall and braced himself before he glanced around the corner. He drew a quick breath. His body lurched, just a fraction, but he forced himself to remain where he was. He allowed himself two quick breaths and ignored the way that his vision tunneled. His gaze was focused on the single figure lying halfway down the hall. He looked at Gus again and signaled for him to follow.

Together they moved down the hall, sticking to the walls, guns levied as they searched for anyone who was not meant to be there. They stopped just outside the master bedroom, and though it cost him to do it, Andy stepped over Sharon's prone form without bending and moved into position by the door. He waited for Gus to slide into his place, and then used hand signals to indicate that the younger man should cover him while he stepped into the room to clear it.

Andy's gaze swept the interior of the room as he stepped inside. The closet door was standing open. There was debris in the form of a busted bookshelf and glass from a broken lamp and shattered picture frames. Whatever had taken place, Sharon had fought. He felt a surge of pride just below the surface of the fear and anger. The emotion was a physical ache, an almost searing pain in his center that got worse the further away from her that moved.

As he moved further into the room, he found another body lying near the bathroom door. Andy knew that he wouldn't have to stoop to check this one. She was dead. Her eyes were open, glazed, and lifeless. Already she was beginning to turn gray. His jaw clenched again. He felt something in his gut twist.

What the hell was Vicki doing there?

She was still wearing her leather jacket over a well-tailored sweater and slacks. Her clothes were rumpled, smeared with blood. Andy knew that there was no way that he would ever know, for sure, exactly what happened, but his whatever it was, hid ex-wife had deserved more than the odd angle at which her was turned.

Andy forced his gaze away from the sight and across the room again. He checked the open closet, and seeing nothing amiss, Andy returned to the hall. He motioned for Gus to stay put. He walked quietly down the hall to Rusty's room and repeated the same action. He cleared the room before moving across the hall to the bathroom. He sucked in a breath as he stepped into it. The water in the tub was tinged pink, and the floor was wet. The metal and glass shelf between the tub and the toilet was broken, the glass shattered. Blood was smeared among the glass, as though it had been stepped on. The blood trail led back into the bedroom.

"It's clear," Andy announced, and moved into the bedroom. He lowered his gun and placed it back into the holster as he walked toward the hall again. Only then did he allow himself to kneel beside the woman on the floor.

Her hair was a wet and tangled mess. She was wearing one of his shirts. It was barely covering her body, and clung to her form where it was still damp. There were cuts on her feet and legs, indicating that his previous assessment about the glass in the bathroom was correct. Already there were bruises and scratch marks covering her legs. Andy swept her hair back from her face and fought the urge to cry out. Her cheek was bruised and her lip was split. There was a deep cut near her hairline that had her hair matted with blood. His fingers were gentle against her skin as they moved to her neck.

Gus watched all of it with his breath held. The gun was hanging loosely at his side while his phone was clenched tightly in his other hand. He thought that his own legs might buckle when the Lieutenant's head bowed and he let out a choked sound that might have been a sob. "Andy?"

He shook his head. He couldn't speak yet. As careful as he could, he rolled her over. There was a dark stain beneath her; it had soaked through the folds of the shirt. Andy shrugged out of his jacket and gathered her close; he balled up the jacket and held it against the wound that was still seeping blood. "Call an ambulance," he managed to rasp out. Andy knew that he should call it in, but he bent instead and pressed his lips against her cool cheek. He could feel the faint puffs of breath, which seemed to match the barely detectible pulse. He didn't care about anything else, not the crime scene, or the intruder, or any of the procedures that he should follow.

His wife was still alive, and he held on to her, as though doing that would keep her in this world with him. He wondered if this was what she had gone through months before, when it was him that was laying on a floor, his presence in this world seeming to teeter on an edge. His eyes closed. One hand gently cradled her head and he turned his face into her hair. It was still damp, and he could only imagine the struggle that she must have faced. Andy pushed that aside and concentrated on holding her. He counted each faint breath. They knew that spending the rest of their lives together might not be possible, that was simply their reality, but he never expected that it would come to an end this soon. There just hadn't been enough time.

He had only barely begun to show her how much he could love her. Their life together couldn't end on the same day that it was truly beginning. His lips moved against her ear. "Stay with me," he whispered, as though that silent plea could keep her in this world with him.

Gus moved away, further down the hall, as he made the call. Something told him that just asking for an ambulance might not be the best idea. Maybe he had been around these people long enough, but he called another number that was stored in his phone instead. "Lieutenant Provenza, good evening sir, this is Gus Wallace. We have a problem…"

Within a matter of seconds he managed to fill the Lieutenant in on what had happened, at least as they knew it. No one would really have all the details until Sharon woke up again. _If_ she woke up again, Gus was forced to acknowledge. He also had his instructions from the Lieutenant. Before the paramedics got there he went back through the apartment with his phone. Gus took pictures of everything, the living room and the kitchen, the hallway, and each of the bedrooms. He was careful not to disturb anything as he moved through the rooms, snapping pictures of blood smeared walls and broken glass.

He didn't know where the other woman had come from, or why she was there. Gus swallowed hard as he took photographs of her body from at least two angles. He was no cop, but from the looks of it all, he figured that his boyfriend's mom had been in the bath. That was where her attacker found her. They had struggled there, and the fight had ended up moving into the bedroom.

The place was pretty torn up, and he didn't know where the attacker had gone, but from the bloody handprint beside the bedroom door and the smear left on the wall in the hallway, Sharon had made her way out of the bedroom before she finally collapsed.

Gus knelt beside them. He hated to do it, but he reached over and placed a hand on the other man's arm. "Andy," he spoke quietly, "the medics are going to be here soon. I called Lieutenant Provenza." He drew a breath and swallowed hard. He felt nauseous. "He needs me to take pictures of her, of how we found her. He said we need them… in case…"

Andy lifted his head and looked, almost unseeing, at the other man. "Then do it. Work around me," he gritted out. "I'm not letting go of her."

Gus was afraid to even think about asking him to do that. He nodded quietly. He lifted his phone again. He looked at Sharon and grimaced. In just that moment, Gus hated himself. The camera's flash went off in the hall as he took pictures of her feet, her legs, and the bruises on her arms. He had the Lieutenant hold her hair back and snapped a picture of her head wound. Then he looked at her hands. They were scratched too. Her nails were broken, and one of them was bleeding. Gus took pictures of that as well, and then he had the lieutenant lift his already bloody jacket and the edge of the shirt so that he could snap a quick picture of the stab wound in her side.

"Okay," he moved away then. Gus felt like he was going to be sick. He swallowed quickly as he rose. "I'm going to go wait for the paramedics." His jaw clenched. He could feel the burn of the bitter bile that was rising up his throat. "Do I… um. Do I call Rusty and the others?"

Andy gave him a confused look for a moment. Finally, he shook his head. "No. I'll do that. When the paramedics get here, and we know where they are taking her, I'll call them."

"Okay." Gus swallowed again. "I'm going to send these to the Lieutenant," he lifted his phone. As he turned, he glanced into the bedroom again. "She fought like hell."

"Yeah." Andy stroked the bruised curve of her cheek. "Yeah she did. She always does." He laid his hand against the side of her neck again, quietly counting beats of her pulse. "My wife is a badass."

Gus laid the gun on the Captain's desk, where Lieutenant Provenza had told him to place it. He couldn't put it back, because now his prints were on it, and it would be found when the condo was searched for evidence. They would have to report that he had used it, although it had not been fired, when the officers responded to secure the scene. By the book, the Lieutenant had said, although Gus didn't really understand what all that meant. He did as he was told and stepped into the hall. He moved closer to the elevators and leaned against the wall. He tipped his head back and drew several quick breaths.

Something that the other Lieutenant said caught his attention then. Gus's eyes widened. "Wife?" His gaze snapped back down the hall, toward the bedroom. His jaw dropped open. Somehow, this whole mess had just gotten a whole lot more complicated, and a whole lot worse… and he didn't think that was possible.

The elevator doors opened a few minutes later. Gus pushed off the wall as soon as he saw the medics, followed by two uniformed officers. "It's down here," he said. He led the way down the hall and let the medics go in ahead of him. "So, um," he looked at the two officers. "The Lieutenant is still in with the Commander. We tried to touch as little as possible, and Lieutenant Provenza told me to tell you—"

"Yeah, we know." The officer nearest him nodded. "There's a weapon, with your prints, on the desk. It belongs to the Lieutenant. You both discovered the victims, but the intruder was already gone."

"We'll have to get both your statements," the other officer told him. "You'll probably end up speaking to a detective too, depending on who gets this case." Neither one of them knew if it would be Major Crimes or some other division. "Let's go in and take a look…" He waved Gus ahead of him and followed him into the apartment.

Gus waved a hand down the hall, where the paramedics were already working on Sharon. "We found her down there. Bedroom and bathroom are pretty messed up. The other one… um… she's in the bedroom. Desk is over there," he waved a hand in it's direction.

The two officers looked around. One of them stayed with Gus while the second walked down the hall to get a look at the scene. "Lieutenant," he nodded to the man, whom he had already recognized by sight. There was blood smeared on the front of his shirt, the sleeves, and the cuffs. Everyone knew the Commander too. He winced at the sight of her. The officer poked his head into the bedroom and walked carefully toward the bathroom. He hissed a low whistle between his teeth at the scene. He was careful of any evidence as he checked the body and verified that the woman was dead. The Medical Examiner's office would have to be called; he made a mental note of that. He checked the other bedroom too before walking down the hall again. "If you can come down the hall with us, we'll get your statements out of the way."

When the Lieutenant didn't move, one of the paramedics looked up. "We're going to stabilize and transport pretty quick, we'll be out of here in a couple of minutes."

Andy planned on going with her. He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah." Leaving her was hard, but the medics had already applied a pressure dressing to her side and were getting an IV started. "Let's do this fast."

The officer didn't know how fast it was going to be. The Lieutenant couldn't leave until someone with a little more seniority than him was on the scene to release him. "We can step over here," he said, and waved both men toward the door so that they wouldn't contaminate anything at the scene, "and you can both tell us what happened."

While Gus and Andy recounted what had happened, from the moment they arrived until the first call was placed for assistance, other officers began arriving. Two more uniformed patrol units arrived, and Tao who lived closer than the rest of the team, hurried into the apartment. He looked around, gone was his suit, and he wore a pair of jeans and a polo shirt instead. His hands moved to the top of his head as he gazed down the hall. "Crap," he muttered. He turned where he stood and caught sight of Flynn. "What happened?"

Andy shrugged. He had answered the question a half dozen times already. "We don't know. I guess someone broke in while I was gone to get Gus… the kids got stuck in traffic on the way back from the airport. We were going to go grab dinner. Sharon stayed here to get ready while I ran to get the kid. I don't know how Vicki got involved. I-" He sighed. "Look, I think they're getting ready to move Sharon. Can you stay here?"

"Yeah." Mike nodded. "I think Provenza is right behind me. Julio is going to pick up Buzz on the way." His eyes narrowed as he studied the other man closely. "Are you okay? Do you need your meds?"

"I'm fine." His blood pressure was up, but the things that he was feeling had nothing to do with that and everything to do with his wife lying on a gurney, beat all to hell, with a stab wound, while his ex-wife laid in the room beyond with a broken neck. He was going to have to tell his kids. He was going to have to tell Sharon's kids. Somewhere in all of that, he was going to have to figure out what the hell had happened. His eyes were on the gurney. When the paramedics started pushing it down the hall, he straightened. They had Sharon covered with a blanket, strapped to a backboard, resting on the gurney. There was an oxygen tube stretched beneath her nose, and one of them held the IV bag as they walked. "Which hospital?"

"UCLA," the medic reported. "Cedars is dealing with that pileup out on the 110. Their trauma center is maxed right now. They're diverting to UCLA and Saint Vincent. Anything downtown or farther out is going to Kindred and Good Sam."

Andy nodded slowly. "I'll ride with you. Gus, can you follow in my car? I'll call the kids on the way and let them know to meet us there." He had already diverted them to the restaurant, so that they wouldn't happen upon the crime scene.

"Andy…" Tao didn't want to be the one that stopped him. God only knew that he understood. If that was Cathy, no force on this earth would prevent him from being with her. He ran a hand across the top of his head and grimaced. "Look, I'm not saying that you can't go," he began carefully, "but what about..." He nodded down the hall.

Flynn stared at him for a moment. Then he winced. He looked away and closed his eyes. "Shit." He was being asked to choose. The only problem was that his kids would never forgive him if he left their mother with strangers. She hadn't known Mike, not well, only in passing. They were divorced before Andy really began working with Tao all that often. He drew a breath and let it hiss between his clenched teeth. Andy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah," he muttered. "Gus, go with Sharon," he told him. "I'll follow when I can. I'll call the kids and tell them to meet you there."

"Yeah." Gus looked between the two lieutenants. "Okay." Being on his own at the hospital with Rusty and his siblings seemed like a far more daunting task than staying at the condo with all the police. He only hesitated for a moment before he followed the paramedics out of the condo.

"Okay." Andy scrubbed a hand over his face. "Let's call the ME's office. I'm going to call Ricky and tell him, I don't know, something." He was going to have to tell his kids. He would have to tell Vicki's husband. Shit. What the hell had happened to that day? It had started out so well.

"We'll start talking to neighbors," Mike told him, "see if anyone heard or saw anything. We'll get the number for the building superintendent and start pulling footage from the security cameras."

"Yeah, okay…" Andy shook his head. "There's cameras in the lobby and parking garage. Hopefully one of them picked up something." He stood there for a moment, hands on his hips. Finally he sighed and walked toward the door. "I'm going to go call Sharon's kids."

He almost bumped into Provenza at the door. Like Tao, he too had already changed for the evening. He wore a more casual button down and a pair of khaki pants. Provenza glanced at both men before he focused on Flynn. "What the hell happened?" He had passed the paramedics as he was getting off the elevator. To say that the Commander had looked better was the understatement of the decade.

"I'm really hoping that we figure that out soon," Andy pushed past him. "Mike will fill you in. I've got calls to make." He didn't need to let the kids wait any longer and he wasn't in the mood to go over it all again. He stepped out into the hall and moved away from the activity in the condo. He studied his phone in his hand before pulling up Ricky's contact information. As the phone connected the call, shook his head. So much for their happy family weekend; Andy was really beginning to wonder if they were cursed.

He and Sharon had just realized just how much they felt for one another when he got hurt and needed to have his blood clot surgery. Then, right after they moved in together, he had his heart attack. Now that it looked like things were finally the way they should be, and they were finally married, _this_ happened. Would they ever be able to just live life without a catastrophe lurking around the corner, waiting to blow their happiness all to hell?

* * *

 **-TBC-**

 **A/N:** Vicki was my creation a few years ago, before we knew that she didn't exist but Sandra did. I decided that she needed a proper send off. Alas, poor Vicki, we knew her well!


	5. Chapter 5

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Doctor Morales made few exceptions for coming into the field personally, and having a murder called in from the home of one his colleagues, and friends, was one such exception. He joined Kendall in the van as they rolled out to the crime scene. By the time that they arrived the rest of Major Crimes was already there, along with Chief Mason and Deputy Chief Howard.

Having a member of the LAPD Brass attacked in her own home was a big deal, even without the fatality. The press hadn't gotten word of it yet, but they would soon. The department knew that it was working at a disadvantage where time was concerned.

The eleventh floor was milling with officers. Residents had been questioned, but so far, no one was reporting having seen anything out of the ordinary. Uniformed officers were sweeping the building, going floor by floor, but aside from a few blood drops in a stairwell, and a bloody smear in an exit that led to the parking garage, nothing unusual had been found.

The minute that he stepped into the Commander and Lieutenant Flynn's home, Lieutenant Provenza seemed to pounce on him. "Good grief, thank god you finally made it." The coroner's office had actually responded more quickly than usual, but at the moment, every second felt like an eternity. "Come on, she's down here."

While Provenza led the way down the hall, Morales took a moment to look around. He had never been inside the Commander's home. It was a very nice place, tastefully decorated and tidy. It was everything that he imagined that her home would be. He didn't linger long, and followed the Lieutenant down the short hallway. "Has anyone heard anything from the hospital? How is Commander Raydor?"

The Lieutenant scowled darkly. "She's in surgery. She has a dislocated shoulder and some internal bleeding. We don't know anything beyond that. Her kids are with her." He huffed quietly. "Actually, it's Flynn now. She and the idiot ran off after work this evening and did the deed without telling anyone." He rolled his eyes. "It was going to be a surprise for the party this weekend." He managed to get that much out of his partner before Flynn clammed up and stopped talking to anyone. The idiot was staring at his phone, waiting for updates, but precious few were coming.

"Oh." Morales didn't know what to say. His brows climbed toward his hairline in shock. "That is certainly a surprise. A rather unfortunate one, I would say, all things considered."

"You're telling me," the older man muttered.

They stepped into the room and Provenza waved toward the sheet-covered body near the bathroom door. They had done that much, to preserve the woman's dignity and Flynn's feelings. His partner had stayed in the room with her. "The ME finally showed up," he told his partner, "now will you leave?"

Andy was seated on the bench at the foot of the bed. His shoulders were hunched and his elbows were resting against his knees. He looked up slowly and let his attention settle on the newcomers. It took him a minute to register their presence and why they were there. It was odd enough having so many people that he knew from work inside the condo, odder still to have them in his bedroom. Andy blinked at them. The faint scent of Sharon's perfume, lingering as it always did in their room, was overshadowed by the scent of death. After only another moment, Andy's mind began working again. He stood up and walked over to join them.

"Victoria Flynn-Clayton," he recited in a low, raw tone. "58 years old, mother of two. Her husband is Jake Clayton." He stopped for a minute. "The family hasn't been notified yet. I uh… I wanted to do that in person." He would check on Sharon first, and then he would go and see Nicole. Andy's jaw clenched as he thought of his kids. He wanted more information before he spoke to them, but he knew that he couldn't sit on this for long. Pretty soon, the news would leak. His attention moved to Provenza. "I'm getting out of here now. You'll call me when you have news?"

"Yeah." Provenza nodded. SID was moving in to place to begin gathering evidence from the condo. They were waiting for Flynn to leave. Time was an issue, but he shouldn't have to see it. "Tao is working on getting the security footage from the building super, Buzz is setting up to do our walk-through." He wasn't going to tell his partner that he was still fighting Mason for the case. The Chief wanted to pull them off of it because they were too close. Provenza was arguing that it made them the best ones to run the investigation. One of their own had gone down, and they didn't know why or how.

When he seemed to linger at the bedroom door, it was Morales that drew his attention. "Lieutenant," he said kindly, "we'll take care of her."

Andy's gaze moved from the medical examiner to the sheet draped body on the floor. A muscle in his cheek ticked as he turned away. There was a fist clenched at his side as he walked down the hall. There were too many people in the condo, some they knew, but many they didn't. They were wandering about, doing their jobs, but Andy knew there had to be some curiosity too. Their entire life was on display. He imagined that would drive Sharon crazy. She had always worked so hard to keep her personal life out of the workplace, and now here it was, once again thrust together in the worst possible circumstances.

His teeth ground together as he moved down the hall. Of course, they had a lot worse to worry about than how many people were tracking through their home at the moment. There was activity in the living room when he walked in. Andy's eyes narrowed at where Tao stood, at the center of a group that included Mason, Howard, and the rest of their team.

"What did you find?"

His voice, rumbling and thick, cut through their discussion. The men turned to look at him. Tao closed his laptop and held it closely, as if protecting it. Julio took a step forward, but stopped. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were burning darkly. Howard and Mason shared a look before the former moved forward. The Chief stood back, arms folded across his chest and a deep scowl in place.

Fritz walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder. He stared at the other man for a moment, took a few seconds to gauge his condition. The last thing they needed was Flynn falling over with a heart attack, even if he had been doing well in the months since that first one. Fritz met his gaze. Those dark eyes were burning with emotion. He wanted answers. Fritz couldn't blame him; he would feel the same way if it was his wife that had been attacked. He drew a breath and his jaw clenched for a moment. The fingers holding the other man's shoulder tightened their grip. "Andy," he spoke slowly, carefully. "It was Stroh."

He jerked as though he had been struck. In the back of his mind he was expecting this, but hearing it was something entirely different. "Son of a bitch." He shrugged Howard off and pointed a finger at Mason. "Is this what you call another empty lead?" Sharon and Fritz had both gone to him with their concerns after he was installed as Assistant Chief. He looked at the evidence they had been tracking, but hadn't seen anything that would indicate that Stroh was headed back to Los Angeles.

Mason was prepared for that. He let his arms drop. "Lieutenant, there was nothing in any of those reports to indicate that Phillip Stroh was headed back to Los Angeles. The last reported link was still two thousand miles away from here. There was no evidence to even indicate that Stroh was involved. What were we supposed to do? Deploy a security detail on a hunch? You and I both know that the Commander would not have accepted the detail for herself, she would have insisted that any resources we were able to spare be assigned to her son. It wouldn't have changed anything," he said calmly. The security detail would not have been at the condo when Stroh attacked.

"He's right." Fritz didn't like it, but he had to agree. "There was nothing that we could do until we knew that Stroh was back in the city. Sharon didn't even tell Rusty because she knew, just as well as we did, that the connection to Phillip was weak."

"The same reason she didn't tell us," Julio stated.

"What are you going to do now?" Andy was still glaring at the Chief. "He's obviously here." It wasn't that he really blamed the other man, but he was a convenient target for Andy's ire. Someone had to be held accountable. His wife was in the hospital, his ex-wife was dead, and several people were now in danger.

"Julio is going to drive you to the hospital." Provenza, who had come down the hall with him nodded to the younger man. "We will work on tracking Stroh," he glared at Mason. "No other division knows him better."

Chief Mason nodded. "SOB and CID will help. Leave a couple of detectives here to gather evidence with SID. We have to do it by the book; we can't let Stroh wiggle out of this one. Chief Howard will dispatch a few of his best guys to the hospital, we'll have security on the Commander and her family, and then…" His eyes narrowed as he focused on Flynn again. "As soon as we know the Commander's condition and that she's out of danger, we are taking Mr. Beck into protective custody. He can stay at the hospital until his mother is out of surgery and we have a better idea of her condition, but that's it. No arguments this time, and he doesn't have a choice." He wasn't Taylor, or Howard, he didn't have an emotional attachment to the kid. He might be fond of Commander Raydor and respect the hell out of her, but he wouldn't be swayed. When it came to the state's best and most important witness against Phillip Stroh, the one reason he was definitely back in Los Angeles, Leo Mason was not taking any chances.

The members of Major Crimes exchanged looks. That was going to go over about as well as a root canal. They didn't imagine that Rusty would go quietly. Andy ignored them. "Agreed." If the kid didn't like it, he could go in cuffs as far as Flynn was concerned. There would be no sneaking around this time. Rusty was getting protection and he was going to have to deal with it. "There was blood in the stairwell and outside the parking garage, I think we should assume that she got a piece of him, and Stroh is about as dangerous as any other wounded animal," Andy growled, "I want a car outside my daughter's house, and the Raydor kids don't go anywhere while they're here without a protective detail." He looked across the room, focused on Sykes. "Cancel her parents' flights. I'll call them. Cancel every damned thing. Ricky has the information."

"I'm on it." Sykes moved away from them, her phone in her hand.

"I'll call you as soon as I know how she is," Andy told Provenza. Updates from the kids had been sporadic and pretty few, but he figured they wouldn't have heard much after she was taken in to surgery.

Provenza nodded. "I sent Patrice down there. She's keeping an eye on the kids. She'll help you wrangle the staff."

Andy only nodded his thanks before he waved Julio toward the door and followed the younger man out of the condo.

After he was gone Provenza looked around the room. "Okay," he said, "let's get to work."

 **MCMCMCMCMCMC**

Julio glanced at the man beside him as he drove them toward UCLA. He hadn't said anything since they left the condo, but the younger detective wasn't surprised. It had gone unspoken back at their place, but they had wanted one of their team in charge of the security watching the Commander and her family. Julio had volunteered. So had Nolan, but he wasn't as familiar with the Commander or her kids. It was decided that Julio would do it since he knew them better, and they knew him. His mother was going to be keeping an eye on Mark throughout the duration. There were few instances where Julio allowed work to get in the way of his new responsibility as a father, and this was one of them. He was taking care of family, and that was something that Mark would understand when he explained it to the boy later.

He glanced at the other man again. Julio's grip on the steering wheel tightened. The Lieutenant couldn't be any farther away if he was on the other side of the country. He definitely wasn't still in the car with him, at least not mentally. Julio couldn't blame him. He wouldn't have been all that present either if their positions were reversed. Julio knew that he was thinking about his family; the wife and kids, and all the things that had happened and would need to happen now. There wasn't really a whole lot that Julio could do to pull the other man's thoughts away from there. He was in hell right now, and there was a good chance that it would get worse before it got better.

Andy's thoughts were not entirely focused on the hospital. He was thinking back instead. His wedding band was back on his finger. He had taken it, and Sharon's, from the jewelry box on the bureau. He hadn't felt at all bad about that either. Neither would have anything to do with the investigation that was taking place back at the condo. He wanted that tangible reminder in his hand while he waited for the rest of his team and the ME to arrive and take over the crime scene. Sharon's ring was still in his hand. He was turning it over between his fingers as the car moved across town. His mind had taken him back to the moment when he had placed it on her finger. Had that really only been a couple of hours before?

They had waited until they had gotten home. It was entirely too personal a moment, and they really hadn't planned it, but when they had gotten home, while Sharon was sorting the day's worth of mail at her desk, Andy had opened the box that held both of their rings.

 _He watched the stones of her band gleam in the overhead light, and decided that he didn't want to wait to see it on her finger. Andy plucked the ring out of the box and held it between his fingers. It seemed like such a small thing, but then Sharon had such tiny, delicate hands._

 _He smiled as he moved behind her. He closed the box again and placed it on the desk while his other hand settled against her waist. His arms slid slowly around her. Andy leaned against her back and let his chin drop to rest against her shoulder. She hummed quietly and when he lifted her left hand, her head tilted in askance. His thumb swept over her engagement ring. His head turned inward and he pressed a kiss against her neck as he carefully slipped the ring off her finger._

 _Sharon hummed again. Her other hand wrapped around his wrist; her thumb stroked the inside of his wrist, dipped underneath the gold linked chain-bracelet that he always wore. The gleaming band that they had chosen together was slipped into place on her finger a moment later. She hadn't really considered when they might start wearing them, but now that it was on her finger, she found that she rather liked having it there. Sharon had gotten used to the weight of her engagement ring over the last couple of months. After it joined the wedding band, she turned in his embrace._

 _It was only the two of them now, here in the privacy of their home; in the quiet sanctuary that they were creating together. Yes, perhaps the condo had originally been hers, but when they had decided to put off buying a home together, they had finished paying off her mortgage with the money that Andy had gotten out of the sale of his home. The rest had gone in to savings, a joint account at his insistence, and Sharon had added his name to the title of the Condo when it arrived from the mortgage broker._

 _They had already decided to become each other's medical proxy when he moved in with her. They each had medical power of attorney, and now the title and both of their wills, and those other legal documents were on file with her attorney, with copies in a safety deposit box. They would have to update those wills again, she realized, now that they had gotten married._

 _That was all paperwork, however. None of it really mattered so much as the moment that they were able to share together now. She lifted her hands to his cheeks and tilted her face toward his for a slow, lingering kiss. As they parted her hands moved to his shoulders. Sharon allowed her hands to slide down his arms to circle his wrists. She held them for just a moment before she glanced behind her. She reached for the ring box and opened it._

 _Andy had only wanted a simple band. He was more focused on finding a ring that would suit Sharon. He smiled as he watched her take the gleaming metal out of the box before placing it back on the desk. The gold was smooth and cool to the touch. It felt a little odd against his skin as she slid it onto his finger. Too many years had passed since he last wore one of these. At the time, the ring he'd worn hadn't really meant as much as it should. He wasn't going to make that mistake again. To him the ring didn't matter as much as what it symbolized._

 _His eyes crinkled at the corners when Sharon lifted his hand and her lips touched that gleaming circle of gold against his skin. She was silent. Her fingers were warm against his skin. His brows lifted when she finally lifted her head to look at him again. "I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get here," she said quietly, in a voice that had pitched low and grown thick. "You are entirely too patient with me sometimes."_

 _He tugged his hand out of her grasp and pulled her closer. Andy swept her hair back, pushed it over her shoulders. His fingers danced across her skin as they moved up the graceful line of her neck to slide into her hair and cradle her head gently. His thumb stroked the curve of her jaw. "You are worth waiting for," he told her._

" _Hm." Her fingers stroked down the length of his tie and she leaned toward him again. Sharon kissed his bottom lip. Her lips moved along his jaw, and then turned her face into his neck with a sigh. She stood in the circle of his arms when they wrapped around her and closed her eyes._

 _Andy had not imagined when they began dating that he would want to get married again. His first marriage had failed in such spectacular fashion that he really never entertained the thought of trying it again. He spent too many years trying to make up for those mistakes. He was rather happy with bachelorhood. Then Sharon had come along and she had managed to blow his carefully constructed single life all to hell. He stopped dating casually when he realized that he had feelings for her._

 _He didn't expect that anything would happen between them. She was his boss. She was still married. They were just friends. It just seemed wrong to date other women when it was Sharon that was on his mind. He wasn't looking for a commitment, he wasn't expecting anything long-term. He wasn't nearly good enough for her; Andy expected they would date for a while and Sharon would come to that conclusion herself. They would part, but remain friends. He didn't expect to fall so completely, but once he had, he realized he was only fooling himself. He was half gone for her before he ever asked her on that first real date._

 _Getting her out of his system wasn't going to be a possibility. The more time that he spent with Sharon, the more Andy wanted of her. Waiting, after everything that she had been through, that seemed like such a small price to pay for what he was getting in return. It wasn't really until they had lived together for a little while that Andy started entertaining the idea of marriage. They were good together, damned good, and this was it for him. There would never be anyone else for him but Sharon. He had every intention of spending the rest of his life with her, and he was ready to make the commitment that he had dodged for so long._

 _Now here they were. He pressed his lips against her hair as the full realization that he was holding his wife in his arms settled over him. It was a heady feeling. Sharon would still want to go in front of a priest before it felt completely real to her, but it was real enough for him without that. It wasn't that he needed that piece of paper to know what she meant to him, but now they were irrevocably joined, and Andy couldn't imagine a better way to spend the rest of his life._

 _They stood like that for a few minutes. There wasn't time for much else at present. The kids would be getting back soon and they were taking them to dinner. When Sharon pulled away from him, Andy let his hands move down her arms. There was time enough for both of them to shower and change their clothes._

" _I'm going to finish up out here. Why don't you go start getting ready," he said. "It takes you longer anyway," he teased._

 _Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "It takes you longer to pick out a pair of suspenders than it takes for me to do my hair," she teased. As she moved away from him, her hand slid beneath his jacket and she gave his suspenders a playful snap._

" _It's not your hair that's the problem," he rumbled back. When she only laughed and continued down the hall, Andy shook his head. They both had their little vanities and routines that they liked to indulge in every morning. They had learned how to blend them. Andy turned his attention to the mail that Sharon had been sorting and went about completing the chore for her. He was scowling at yet another statement from his insurance company when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Andy sighed as he reached for it. It had better not be work…_

His thoughts were interrupted when the car stopped. "We're here," Julio announced when he didn't immediately move.

Andy looked around and nodded. Julio had parked them outside the emergency room, in one of the places reserved for police personnel. His hand closed around the ring he was holding as he pushed his door open. Andy stepped out of the car and took a moment to center himself before he started walking toward the ER entrance.

He looked around the waiting room when he stepped inside and pulled his phone out. He thought about calling Ricky again and thought better of it. He called Rusty instead. "Where are you?"

"Fourth floor, waiting room. She's not out of surgery yet," the boy reported.

"I'm on my way up," Andy told him. He pocketed the phone and strode with more purpose toward the elevator banks on the other side of the Emergency room lobby. He felt, rather than saw, Julio fall into step with him. He wanted to see how much Gus had told them before he called Sharon's parents. He had told Ricky that he would contact them, and wanted to make sure that Sharon's kids had waited before he made that call. It was going to be hard enough without them already being worried.

The elevator ride felt like it took entirely too long. It came to a stop on the fourth floor with a slight lurch. Andy stepped forward the minute the doors began to open and twisted sideways to push through the narrow opening when it didn't move fast enough to suit him.

The sign on the wall directly opposite the elevator directed him toward the fourth floor surgical waiting room. Andy turned when it indicated that he should and walked into the open, chair-lined area at the end of the hall. His eyes scanned the room. The kids were pale and worried but seemed otherwise in good condition. There were already uniformed officers posted outside the waiting room. He nodded in satisfaction that that.

Ricky stood up the second that he spotted him. "Andy." He took two steps toward him. "What the hell is going on?" He wanted to know what had happened to his mother, why there were suddenly cops posted outside the waiting room, and why two others had gone to find out where his mother was being operated on at so that they could wait outside that area too.

Andy waved him back into his chair. He sat down on a low coffee table in front of where the kids had been waiting and leaned forward. He scrubbed his hands over his face before he rested his arms across his knees and looked at them. "Someone broke into the condo while I was picking up Gus," he explained. "Your mother struggled with the intruder, she was stabbed. At some point during the fight, Vicki showed up. We don't know exactly what happened, we won't know until your mother wakes up." He stopped speaking. His jaw clenched. "Vicki is dead and your mother was badly injured."

"Who was it?" The question had come from Rusty. The boy was staring at him, pale and grim, but with a knowing gleam in his eyes. "Andy…" His voice hitched and his hands clenched into fists. " _Who_ was it?"

The Lieutenant met his gaze. "It was Stroh," he stated, confirming the boy's worst fears. "We've got him on security footage entering the building through the parking garage. We think he went out the same way. The guys were still going through the footage when I left. We aren't entirely sure yet, but we found blood in the stairwell and outside the garage. We think your mother got a piece of him. We don't know how injured he is and we don't know where he went, but we do know it was him."

Rusty leaned forward as all the air rushed out of his lungs. His hands moved into his hair. He drew quick breaths as he struggled not to panic. He could feel his throat beginning to close and his chest tightening. A hand against his back drew his attention and he glanced at Emily beside him. "She got hurt because of me."

"No." Andy pointed a finger at him. His eyes narrowed. He scowled darkly at he boy. "She got hurt because Phillip Stroh is a sick son of a bitch and like a cockroach, he doesn't know how to die."

"What happens now?" Ricky asked. "I guess that's why we've got all this extra security?" He nodded toward the cops in the hallway and the detective that was lingering near the entrance.

"Yeah," Andy sighed. "You're going to have a protection detail until we find the bastard. We'll have someone on your mom too." His attention settled on Rusty. "No arguments," he stated. "Not this time. You do exactly what you're told until we find him, got it?"

It was in Rusty's nature to argue and part of him almost balked at the idea of having to live inside a police state again, but the feeling was gone almost as quickly as it had arisen. He nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "No arguments out of me."

"Good." Andy sat back. His back ached with tension. "Sanchez is in charge of the security detail. Fritz is sending some guys over from SOB, you'll probably know them." He sighed. "The condo is a crime scene, so we'll be staying somewhere else. I don't know where yet, it's being arranged." He looked at Ricky again, "I had your grandparents' flights canceled."

"Right, of course," Ricky nodded in agreement. "They don't need to be here right now." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I haven't called them yet. You're going to have a hard time keeping them away, but they'll understand when you explain it." They would wait, not forever, but they would wait before rushing to the city to check on their family if that made it easier to keep everyone safe.

"Understand?" Andy shook his head as he stood up. "I don't even understand it." His gaze swept the waiting room again and fell on Gus. The two men studied one another. They shared the horror of what they'd found in the condo, an image that Andy would never share with the others. He hoped that Gus wouldn't tell Rusty everything. Those were images that no one else should have in their head. "I'm going to go see if I can get an update on Sharon. Someone has to know something by now." His hand went into his pocket, where he had placed the ring before stepping into the waiting room. Andy fingered it again. His jaw clenched. He looked down at Sharon's children. This wasn't how she would have wanted to tell them. The surgical waiting room was a far cry from the gathering they had planned with all of their family and friends. "You should know, before you hear it from someone else… we got married after work." As he left, he saw Patrice hovering in the entrance to the waiting room. Andy joined her and together they moved away. With her help he wondered if he might just start to understand what was happening.

He left them sitting there, thinking that over, as he walked away. Ricky turned a shocked look on Rusty. His brother was staring back, just astonished by the news. "Did you know?" Rusty seemed to know them both better than the rest of them, at least, how they were together.

He had paled. Rusty rubbed his hands against his jeans. He shook his head. "No. They never said." He swallowed and let his gaze follow the direction that the Lieutenant had gone in. "Shit." He didn't curse often. Sharon didn't like it, but the word left his mouth before he could stop it. Suddenly everything had just gotten so much worse.

"You can say that again." Emily leaned forward in her chair and covered her face with her hands. She sat there for a moment before pushing her hands into her hair with a sigh.

"Hey."

Something nudged his arm and Rusty looked up to realize that it was Julio. He had come into the room without Rusty noticing it. Rusty realized that he had seen this look on the other man's face before. His eyes were dark. The lines of his face were set in a mask, one that promised danger, or protection. He was reminded of another time, a few years ago, when he had Julio to look after him. His brother and sister didn't know Julio, so they regarded him warily, but it made Rusty feel a little better to have him there.

His hands were in his pockets when he looked down at the kid. The other two were looking at him too, but it was Rusty that Julio was focused on. He stared at the kid's face, and there was the promise of retribution in his eyes. There would be a reckoning. This time they would end Stroh, whatever it took. "The thing about cockroaches," he explained in a low voice, "is that they eventually get squashed."

 **-TBC-**


	6. Chapter 6

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"Dad."

Andy spared a glance for his son. He had been standing in the same spot for almost twenty minutes, staring through the glass that separated him from Sharon's room in the ICU. Visitors were only allowed two at a time, but he had flashed his badge to get all three of her kids in at once. Now he was standing watch. The fact that there was a uniformed officer also standing sentry at her door and two more posted on the ward, one at the main door and another at the nurse's station, had indicated for the staff just how serious their situation was. They had allowed the three visitors, if they kept it brief.

"Charlie." Andy answered his son after another moment. His mouth was dry. He felt like he'd swallowed gravel. In his pocket, he turned the wedding band that was on the tip of his index finger. He would sit with Sharon later, when there was time for him to actually _be_ with her. For now it was enough for him to know that she was going to recover.

He felt movement and realized that his son had come over to stand beside him. Charlie had an inch or two on him, but his son had his build otherwise. He had the same broad shoulders and long limbs. The dark hair had come from him too, and so had the eyes. Vicki had always called Charlie a miniature version of him, right down to his temper, and so she had done everything in her power to make sure that he was nothing like his father. He played football in school, instead of baseball. Charlie had gone to college at UC San Diego, where he had studied engineering of all things. It looked like his mother had gotten her wish, that her son would be nothing like his father, and in fact Charlie barely tolerated his presence in his life. Then six months after he graduated from college, Charlie had gone to the police academy. He remained in San Diego, said he liked living the city better, but it was more a matter of being out of his father's shadow. He lived close enough to his mother and sister to visit them when he liked, and far enough away to avoid his father.

Charlie was determined to be everything he wasn't, so it surprised Andy too when he decided to become a cop. He learned later that it was a matter of his son proving that he was nothing like him. Charlie wanted to do it better, be better, be stronger. He wanted to prove that he didn't need a bottle to be a good cop.

There had come a point, however, when Andy stopped letting Charlie dictate their relationship. He stopped chasing him. He called his son on his birthday, and occasionally just to check on him, but he left the rest up to him. He had made mistakes, but there came a point when he had to stop asking forgiveness and just live his life. There was only so much that he could do. The rest was up to Charlie.

Sharon taught him that.

She got tired of seeing the hurt in his eyes when his son tossed away the scraps that he was begging for. She told him that he had done enough. He had tried. He kept trying. If Charlie wanted to speak with him, he would call. If he wanted to see him, he would visit. She was always reluctant to get involved in his relationship with his kids, but when he had his heart attack and Charlie had called his sister asking how he was, rather than speaking to him directly, she had put her foot down. He was a little hurt by that too, so he followed her direction.

It seemed to work. Charlie still didn't appear to want a whole lot to do with him, and whether it was curiosity or something else, his son started calling him. Andy suspected Nicole might have had a talk with her brother. She had echoed Sharon's thoughts on the matter, and told him to stop worrying about Charlie's idiot stubbornness. Nicole was a little more succinct, and a lot more brash about it than Sharon had been. She said he would pull his head out of his ass when he was ready.

Andy allowed his gaze to shift a bit, so that it was the reflection of his son in the glass that he was focused on. Charlie had moved back to Los Angeles right after the New Year. Andy didn't think that it had anything to do with him, with any of the family. He believed his son when he said he was chasing a promotion. Charlie's ambitions were different than his at that age. His son had gone a different route. He decided to go SWAT. It gave his mother fits, but Charlie, who had always been active, enjoyed it a lot more than the general investigative nature of their jobs. There wasn't a lot of room for advancement in San Diego; the LAPD was much bigger, and he had a better chance of leading his own team if he made the transfer.

The only problem with taking a job in Los Angeles was the fact that he would be a legacy. Second generation or third, it didn't matter. His name was still Flynn and his old man was known enough on the force that he would have to contend with that. He was back in the shadow that he seemed to want to escape, and Andy didn't fully understand that.

" _Sometimes our ambitions overpower our fears_."

Andy could hear Sharon's voice in his head. There was something, she explained, that Charlie wanted more than to outdo his father. He had been a cop for ten years, he was career minded, and that was driving him. Andy had tucked it away, decided to not really worry about it. At least Charlie was closer. He saw his son more, although it was usually in a more professional setting. Charlie couldn't run from him now. Sharon said that would be good for them, and maybe it was.

Andy hadn't really figured that out yet. There wasn't a lot of time. Now there were other things to be concerned with.

"My Commander said that I should get down here," Charlie explained quietly. He was off-duty today. He heard about the attack at the condo. Then Commander McGinnis had called, told him to double-time it down to the hospital. Charlie was already considering doing that before she made it sound like an order. He might have issues with his dad, but Sharon wasn't all bad. Nicole liked her. His mom even seemed to like her.

Charlie had noticed, since he moved back to Los Angeles, that his parents got a long a lot better these days. His mother wasn't quite as hard on his dad as she used to be. She was even encouraging him to talk to his dad more. She hadn't done that a whole lot before. It always seemed like a token request, reminding him that he should call his dad on his birthday or Father's Day.

Nicole had given him hell after the heart attack. That had given him a little bit to think about too. He started to feel like his sister was right. He was the one acting like an ass now. Charlie decided to make more of an effort to be around him more, especially now that he was living in the city again. Hell, they even worked at the same department. That was a mind bender. His dad had a reputation as a cop. Sure, there were stories, of goofier, crazier times, antics that he got up to with his partner, but overall, his reputation was pretty solid. That surprised Charlie, and then he felt bad for being surprised.

"How is she?" He cast a sideways glance at his dad before turning his attention back to the room. Her kids were with her, and he guessed that explained why his dad was standing in the hall.

"She'll recover." Andy spoke quietly. He didn't want to talk at all, but he was going to have to. His shoulders and neck ached; the muscles were sore from all the tension. "Her shoulder was dislocated and she's got some cracked ribs. The knife didn't do as much damage as it could have, bounced off a rib, lacerated her liver instead of puncturing it. She's going to be in some pain when she wakes up, but she'll be okay. I can probably get her out of here in a few days."

Charlie nodded slowly. His head dropped and he studied his shoes. His hands went into the pockets of his jeans. After a minute he glanced over at his dad, looked at him through the fringe of dark bangs that had fallen across his forehead. "What happened?"

Andy drew a breath and let it out slowly. "Come on," he jerked his head toward the exit. "Let's go. Not here." It was hard to walk away from her, but he did it. He turned and strode toward the double doors that would take them out of the ICU and into a hall that led past a waiting room. Moving away from his wife was a physical ache that started in his gut and moved upward to settle in his chest. He studied the pale, beige colored tile of the floor as they walked.

They went past the waiting room and beyond the bank of elevators. Andy took him around a bend in the corridor and into a quiet room that looked like it had been designed for small conferences. There was a sofa along one wall, a sink and a coffee maker. He supposed that it was for physicians to meet with families. Andy waited for Charlie to step into the room and closed the door behind him. He walked over and took a seat in one of the stiff, but cushioned chairs beside the sofa.

He leaned forward and rubbed his face. He sat there, arms on his knees, and waited for Charlie to join him. His son sat down on the sofa and looked at him, eyes hooded, but his expression concerned. "You know about the Phillip Stroh case?"

A line formed between Charlie's brows. He leaned forward. "Yeah. I think every cop in California knows about that case. The rest of it, Nicole filled me in on. Was it him?"

"Yeah." Andy studied the grey carpeting in the room. "I always figured he'd come after Sharon first. It's Rusty that he wants, but he's never going to get to that kid with her around. The only chance he ever had was getting Sharon out of the way first."

Charlie swore quietly. He leaned forward, and his posture became a mirror of his father's, although he didn't realize it. "That explains why there are cops all over the hospital. I had to flash my badge to get into the ICU."

"We've got her and the kids covered." The ring was still on his index finger. It fit between his first and second knuckles, but just barely. Andy was still twisting it, slowly, on his finger. He watched the light bounce off it. He sighed heavily. "I was waiting for her to get out of surgery, then I was going to go and see your sister." He had been thinking about what he was going to say, and the usual words came to mind, the ones they used for notifying families. It didn't seem right. It was too clinical. Andy lifted his gaze slowly. He stared at his son. "Do you know why your mother would have dropped by the Condo tonight?"

"Drop off the annulment papers probably. She got them the other day." Charlie said it before he realized his dad was staring at him. He looked at him, and there was something dark in his gaze, something grim and awful. Then he realized, fully, what he had said. He felt a sinking in his stomach, it was heavy and sickening; tightness rose up from it, through his chest to throat. Charlie felt his jaw clench. He forced it apart and drew a thin, shaky breath. That look in his dad's eyes, it was too familiar. He had seen it too often. He saw it in his fellow cops, and he had seen it in the mirror. It was death. Suddenly the bottoms of his feet began to tingle and his palms grew damp. His mouth went dry, and although he wanted to look away, he couldn't. "Say it," he whispered.

Charlie was the oldest, their first born. The one who had come along when he and Vicki had still been happy, and maybe that was why his son was so angry with him. He had all the happy memories to go with the bad ones. Andy stared back at him. He saw the realization and the rising grief. That his son recognized where this was going didn't make it any easier. "Your mother came by the condo tonight. She walked in on the fight. We haven't pieced it all together yet, and we won't until Sharon wakes up…" The ache in his throat became too much. Andy stopped talking and tore his gaze away. He looked down. His jaw clenched. He had to draw a breath before he could lift his head again, before he could finish it. "She's dead."

The reaction was immediate. Charlie was off the sofa in a single, fluid movement. He grabbed the edge of the small coffee table in front of them and flipped it over. He kicked it out of the way as he stalked around the room. There it was, that Flynn temper, the one that he spent a lifetime getting a handle on. Andy waited, quietly. He ignored his own pain and remained where he was. He didn't move. He knew better. He followed his son's movements with his eyes, watched him pace the room like a caged and seething animal. It wasn't until Charlie finally hit the wall with his fist, then turned to lean against it that Andy knew that he had reached a place where the roar in his ears was not drowning everything else out anymore. He stood slowly. He walked toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He gripped hard, let his fingers curl into the muscle. "Now," he said quietly, voice rumbling low, almost softly in the quiet room, "we find him."

Charlie looked up. His dark eyes were almost black with fury and grief. The muscles of his arms and back tensed. His fists clenched. His lip curled. "He's not going anywhere. I take it you haven't told the others yet?"

"No." Andy let his hand drop away. He shoved both hands back into his pockets, left the ring there. "Not yet."

Charlie thought about that for a minute before he nodded. "Nic first," he said. "I'll tell Jake." His stepfather shouldn't have to hear that life as he had known it was over from the ex-husband. Jake had been good to them. He was closer to Nicole, but he already had sons when he married their mother. He always treated both of them well, but a daughter was something new and different. Charlie spent his summers playing football with his stepbrothers. One of them was older than him, and the other one was younger than Nicole. He wasn't especially close to them, since they had lived with their mother in Florida, and only visited during the summer, but he would say that they were friends. He would also say that he had a pretty decent relationship with his stepdad. They weren't really close, but it was decent. He liked Jake, appreciated what he had done for them. As he had gotten older, he had gotten a little distant with him. He felt bad about that now. He would take Nicole with him, he decided, and they would tell Jake together, that their mother was gone.

Charlie clamped down on the grief when it threatened to rise. He buried it under several layers of anger and allowed his fists to clench. His teeth ground together and he drew a breath that he let out slowly. "We should go," he decided, "before the news breaks it. The vultures are already circling. They won't sit on it once they have names."

"I know." Time was ticking away from them. As much as the idea of leaving Sharon pained him, Andy knew that he didn't have a choice. "There's something that I gotta do first." If he was leaving the hospital, now that Sharon was out of surgery and stable, there was something else that had to be taken care of. "A promise that I made," he muttered. It twisted in his gut, and burned.

They left the small conference room. They walked back toward the ICU, and as they did, Andy made a phone call. "Let's do it now," was all that he said.

Three officers met them at the entrance to the ICU. Charlie recognized Perez and Stuart. He only knew Sanchez by sight and reputation. "Sykes is on her way down here," Sanchez told them. "She's going to keep an eye on the other two. I figured the commander would feel better if I go with him."

Andy nodded. "Probably. You'll have better luck making sure he doesn't try to run off." He sighed. "Come on, it's not going to be pretty." They walked through the double doors and around the nurses station to the small, glass walled cubicle where Sharon still lay unconscious. Andy slid the door open and leaned into the room. It was hard, not letting his gaze linger on his wife. "Rusty." He beckoned the young man into the hall.

The other officers were a pretty good indication of what was going on. Rusty walked toward them with a lot of trepidation. Once he was in the hall with them, he closed the door behind him. Rusty sighed. "Gus is still in the waiting room." Three had been the limit that the staff would allow, and since Gus was technically not family, he remained behind.

Andy studied him. His eyes narrowed. There was a certain amount of resignation in his posture. "We'll keep an eye on him," he said. "Rusty, your mom decided that if Stroh ever made his way back to LA, we would take precautions."

Rusty glanced behind him, to Stuart and Perez, his security from the last time the serial killer had been a threat. "I'd rather not leave," he said stubbornly, and looked at the man that had been living with them the last several months, the one that his mother had married.

"I know." Andy sighed. "I'd rather wait until she's awake, but I promised her that if something happened, and she couldn't keep you safe, that I would. So you're gonna go with these guys," he nodded to the two cops behind him, "Julio is going to go with you. They're taking you to a secure location; you'll be surrounded by cops, and we'll keep you updated on how your mother is doing."

He turned and looked back into the room. Rusty watched his brother toss a curious look his way. He sighed. "If I'm not here, I guess it doesn't matter who is watching them," he said, "Stroh isn't going to care. I'm the one that he wants." That sick feeling was back, the one that felt so heavy in his stomach every time that he thought about the serial killer. There was an ache in his leg. The scar that Stroh had left behind the last time that he got close to him burned and itched. Dr. Joe would tell him that the pain wasn't real, that it was just a psychological response to the remembered trauma, but Rusty still felt it. Twenty-three stitches and two weeks on crutches, that was the result of Stroh's last attempt on his life.

Rusty didn't really count Weller. That guy was sick in his own way. Stroh might have planted the idea, but his letter-writing stalker had gone a different route with it. He was far less direct than Stroh probably liked. Now he was back again. Proving that he liked tying up his lose ends on his own. Rusty stared at his mother. He never saw her looking so small before, so pale or weak. She was always there to protect him. She always saved him, even if he didn't always like her methods. Of course she would think about how to make sure he was protected, even if she wasn't around to do it herself.

Stroh knew that too. Sharon was the one thing that would always keep him away, but somehow, Rusty never really thought that she was in any danger. He felt his eyes burn. He blinked quickly, stubbornly, and swallowed hard. He nodded once. "Okay," he said finally.

"We're not going far," Julio said, "but we should go now." He glanced at Flynn. "I won't let him out of my sight."

"I know." He met Rusty's gaze when kid turned back around. "I'll keep an eye on her." His jaw clenched. "We'll find him."

"Yeah." Rusty wasn't sure if he believed that. He knew that they would try. It was just starting to feel like he would never be free of Phillip Stroh. He jerked his head back toward the room. "I better tell them where I'm going. Ricky worries. Acts like we're related or something."

They let him step back into the room so he could say his goodbyes to his siblings. Andy didn't ask the others where they were taking Rusty. It was better if it wasn't spoken. They'd put him up in a safe house, something owned by the LAPD. It would be some place that they could secure more easily than the hospital.

When Rusty emerged a few minutes later, his brother was with him. Ricky stood beside Andy as the other officers took Rusty away. "You know," the younger man said, "when she wakes up and he's not here…"

"Yeah." Andy sighed. They would play hell keeping her in the hospital. "But this is what she wanted. Rusty will be safe while we look for Stroh." He glanced at Ricky. "Keep an eye on her. I'll be back."

He shot a measuring look at the other young man, the one that was a few years older than he was, the younger version of his new stepdad. "I'll call you when she wakes up," Ricky promised. He figured that it might be a while before they saw Andy again. "The grandparents called. You spoke to them," he said.

"They aren't happy, but they're waiting." Andy ran a hand over his face. "They agreed to wait for your mom to call them, tell them it was safe to visit. Your granddad still doesn't like me."

The corner of Ricky's mouth twitched, but he didn't quite manage a smile. "He's not the one that you have to worry about. Gram is the one that you have to watch out for. I understand mom's just like her."

Andy winced. "Great." He turned away. "We'll check in later."

"We'll be here." Ricky watched them go. There were still uniformed officers on the floor. One of them moved over to take up position right outside his mother's room. He sighed. This was not how he envisioned this weekend going. He wondered if he could talk his mother into transferring back to Internal Affairs. It was a lot safer there. There were no bombs, serial killers, and as an added bonus she wouldn't have to see his dad in court. Troublesome Lieutenants were the worst that she would have to deal with, and she seemed to like those. She brought one of them home. So yeah, that's what he'd do. Ricky nodded to himself. He'd talk to his mother about a job change. Not that she would do much more than roll her eyes at him, but he would feel better.

 **-TBC-**


	7. Chapter 7

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Detectives Sanchez and Sykes were visibly absent, but the newly renovated ninth floor Murder Room was still crowded with officers. Andy recognized a number of them from SIS. Those he didn't know, he figured were either from SOB or CID. As he moved through the throng of people, he headed for RACR. That was where Provenza said that they would be gathered.

RACR, electronics, and the interview rooms had been mostly spared during the explosion a few months before. They had needed only minor repairs. It was Sharon's office and the main hub of the murder room that had required a complete remodel. It had all been gutted, after the city engineer's office had determined that the explosion didn't damage the building's framework, and then completely rebuilt. They had only been back on their floor for a couple of weeks. The fresh smell of paint and tile still hung in the air. Andy wasn't sure yet that he liked his new desk.

Andy stepped into the RACR room and looked around. The lights were dim, as usual, and the monitors that covered one wall were lit with camera footage from the city's traffic system. His gaze swept over the people that were there. Howard and Mason were in attendance, along with the rest of their team, except Sanchez and Sykes, and Sharon. Andy walked around and stood between Buzz and Tao. Provenza was seated nearby.

"What do we have?"

Provenza's gaze lingered on his partner for a moment, and then looked beyond him to the young doppelganger that was following him like a shadow. That was certainly new, but he supposed it was not completely unexpected, given the circumstances. Provenza thought that the younger Flynn might stay with his sister and stepfather, since by now they had both been notified. It had been a few hours since anyone had last seen Flynn. Then he considered how much like his father that the younger man was, though Charlie tried to deny it, and decided he wasn't at all surprised to see him. Charles Andrew shared more than just his father's name, and knowing them both as he did, Provenza felt a headache building behind his eyes.

"Chief Mason, the rookie that looks like he might be a pretty good imitation of what Flynn looked like forty years ago," Provenza explained, "is one of the LAPD's newest rising stars. I understand that Commander McGinnis is attempting to beat the bad habits that he learned at the San Diego PD out of him."

"Sergeant Flynn is Lieutenant Flynn's son," Howard explained. The twist that accompanied his near smile was an indication that it gave him a headache too.

"We're all hoping the older version retires before we have to promote him," McGinnis stated. She stood on Howard's other side. She glanced at Charlie and her eyes narrowed. She expected him to take the time off to be with his family, but she supposed that she understood why he was there. She would keep an eye on him. "There are rules somewhere in the LAPD charter against intentional destruction. Commander Raydor and I decided that having two _Lieutenant Flynns_ might just fall under that particular heading."

At the mention of his wife Andy sighed. They could almost hear the sound of his teeth grinding together. Provenza looked up and met Tao's gaze. He nodded, letting him know that it was okay to bring the two Flynns up to speed. Then he sat back in his chair and folded his hands across his stomach.

"We've got a couple of definite images of Stroh entering Los Feliz Towers, and again of him leaving. We tracked him out of the condo complex." As he spoke, Tao glanced at Buzz and the other man highlighted those pictures and blew them up on the screen. "He was in a dark sedan, but it was found abandoned in an alley about five blocks from the Towers. SID found blood in the front seat. It was a type match for Stroh, but we're waiting on DNA. His prints were in the car too."

Buzz pulled up another photo, this one of a man moving down a city sidewalk, wearing a dark windbreaker and baseball cap. His head was down and was favoring his right side. Two more photos joined that one, and they got a decent look at their target's face. "He was on foot for a while. He blended into the crowd on Hollywood boulevard outside Grauman's," he explained. They had pictures of him down the street from the Chinese theater, but the evening crowd was as thick as usual.

"He was headed west," Howard said. "Stroh would know that there's no way he's getting out of this city by bus or plane. He was probably going to try and steal another car and head north into the hills, probably work his way out to the 405. We've got roadblocks set up north and south of the city. We're working with state police; they're checking every car that moves through one of the checkpoints. Airports and bus stations are all on alert. We've increased patrols through the city, and alerts were sent out to hospitals and emergency care clinics. Stroh isn't getting out of LA again."

"You're assuming that he wants to." Andy folded his arms across his chest. He squinted at the monitors for a moment before turning to look at the Chief. "Stroh didn't come all this way and risk his ass going after Sharon to leave because Rusty wasn't home. He might be a psychopath but he's not a stupid one. Stroh has always been a smart bastard, that's how he got around us for so long. He's probably been in town for a while, long enough to know what our habits are. He also had to know that the only way that he was going to get anywhere near Rusty was to get rid of Sharon." Andy waved a hand at the monitors. "He could have picked her off coming or going, taken her out without any one being the wiser that it was him. He didn't because he wanted Rusty to know it was him. He waited until she was at home, alone, and he came after her there. He probably knew that Rusty wasn't home. He was probably counting on that. He didn't count on Sharon fighting back as hard as she did, and he didn't expect Vicki to show up and distract him." He glanced at his son when he said his ex-wife's name, but Charlie was staring stonily at the images of his mother's killer. "Stroh came back here for a reason," Andy concluded, "he's not leaving until he accomplishes that."

"He doesn't leave witnesses," Provenza stated quietly. "Our young Mr. Beck is a thorn in his side. The one loose end that he refuses to leave flapping in the breeze."

"Why?" The question came from Charlie. "I don't get it. He's going down anyway, why does the kid matter? He killed a judge."

"Allegedly," Fritz told him. "We all know that it was him. He was the only one in the judge's chambers; his prints are all over the room. The fact still remains that Stroh was attending meetings in those chambers for days prior to the murder. His prints would have been there anyway." Howard's lip curled in disgust. "The argument could be made that he's worked with a partner in the past. He could have done it that time too. The only crime that we actually have hard and fast evidence on is the one that he was in county lock up for. The one that Rusty is a witness to."

Lieutenant Provenza leaned forward in his seat to look at the younger Flynn. "Welcome to the hell that is our case against Phillip Stroh."

"Like I said," Andy muttered, "the bastard is smart."

"What about the Chief?" The question came from Tao. He glanced from Andy to Howard and back again. "She's not even in LA. Why not go after her first?"

"Brenda wasn't a loose end," Fritz told him. "She was just an annoyance. She almost got him, and if she was here, I'm sure that he would try to get rid of her too. The problem is, she's not, and Stroh has decided that she isn't worth the effort."

"It's Rusty," Andy told them. "It was always Rusty. He's satisfied avoiding the Chief. He went after Sharon for two reasons. To prove that he can still hurt Rusty, and ultimately, to get Rusty. The kid made a point of proving to Stroh, the last time that he was here, that he hadn't had any huge impact on his life. It was the other way around. Yeah, okay, because he was a witness, he ended up with Sharon. That was an impact, but not in the same way. His life got better because of it. Stroh's got worse. He was the stone that caused ripples in Stroh's pond. To the way that son of a bitch's mind works—"

"Get rid of the stone, stop the ripples," Charlie said quietly.

Andy's brow arched. He cast a sideways look at his son and nodded once. "Yeah. Exactly."

Chief Mason had been listening to all of it. He took what they said and added it to what he already knew about the case. He had taken a little while that evening to read up on Phillip Stroh and the involvement that Major Crimes had with catching and later losing him. Stroh's escape fell on the County's head, it was ultimately the other department that screwed up his incarceration. He already knew who Rusty Beck was. Mason had learned that much when he took the time to get a full read on Raydor's bio, back when they were both up for the job of Assistant Chief. He knew her by reputation at that point, and wanted to know more about her before he decided if she was someone he could trust and support for the job.

The then Captain had taken a street kid in, a material witness to be sure, but a street kid with a bad attitude and worse mouth from all the reports that he read. The late Chief Taylor had submitted a few of them, along with his thoughts on the matter. Raydor was too emotionally vested in the kid, according to him, and the accounts that he had read from DDA Rios seemed to support that theory. In the reports that were submitted later, after Stroh's escape, Taylor's version of events seemed to have shifted. By that point he had been working with the Captain for a while. He had gotten closer to her, and her division, and he had noted her requests for security for the kid. It had been pretty clandestine. He let her work with SOB on it. They took it out of the Major Crimes budget, and Mason wondered if her own people were aware of that? Possibly not, but he doubted they would mind if they did know.

His brows drew together. He folded his arms across his chest while he thought through their options. There was really only one choice to make. They had to capture Phillip Stroh and the only way they would do that was if he resurfaced again. There was only one reason that he would do that.

"Everyone in this room," Mason said slowly, carefully, "is probably thinking the same thing that I am right now. We are also all fully aware of the fact that the idea that I am about to pose would have one very strong objector, and she is not currently capable of being present to lodge that objection. I am noting it ahead of time." His arms dropped and he clasped them behind his back as he turned to study the others in the room. "Phillip Stroh isn't going to wander into a precinct and give himself up. He's not going to let himself get caught in an Emergency Room. He worked in this city; he's defended some of the worst lowlifes that Los Angeles has to offer. He probably knows where to find help. There's a good chance that his wounds have already been treated and he's gone to ground while he waits for his next chance at Rusty Beck. I suggest that we give it to him."

Buzz was probably the only person whose mind had _not_ gone in that direction. He stared at the Assistant Chief. Then his gaze swept the room. No one else looked surprised. "You're going to use Rusty as _bait_?" His lip curled in disgust. "Lieutenant, we can't do that!" He had leaned around Tao and Flynn to stare at their interim CO. Provenza was in charge until Raydor was back. He couldn't believe that the Lieutenant had not already objected.

He didn't like it. The idea of it made him sick to his stomach. He could already imagine the ass kicking that they would get when their material witness's mother found out what they had done. Provenza looked up at him. He bit back the sarcastic retort that was on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head instead. "It's the only way, Buzz."

He looked at Tao, but he seemed to be just as grim faced as the rest of them. Buzz put his iPad down and gripped the edge of the podium that was his normal spot in the room. "He's a kid. Everything that we've done has been to protect Rusty from Stroh. We took him away from his family while his mother is in the hospital and put him in a safe house. If we were just going to use him as bait, why not let him stay at the hospital?"

"It's less controlled." Andy drew his gaze. "It's more likely someone would get caught in the crossfire. His mother, or maybe even one of his siblings. As long as Rusty is isolated, the damage is minimal and we can control the environment." Andy had been thinking about that since the idea of putting Rusty in protective custody had been posed. "We do what we did with Weller. We'll wave Rusty under his nose and let Stroh come to us. He's older this time. He knows what the stakes are. Rusty will cooperate."

"She isn't going to like it," Buzz told him. "The Commander would never approve of this."

"Maybe not." Andy had a pretty good idea that she would probably end up kicking his ass. "She's not here, though, is she, Buzz?" He glowered darkly at the other man. "Stroh wants Rusty. There's only one way that he could get him, and that was over Sharon's dead body. Pretty soon Stroh is going to find out that he failed at that…"

"Not necessarily." Charlie had his arms folded across his chest. He stood with his feet slightly apart, in a passable imitation of his father's stance. "Last year you all let the world think that Dr. Bowman was killed at the courthouse with Chief Taylor. You didn't know if he was the target or otherwise involved, so you kept him hidden and told the world that he was dead." Charlie shrugged. "So do it again."

Provenza leaned forward in his seat. He stared down the row of people at the kid whose football games he and Flynn used to sneak in and see, without him knowing it, because he would have been pissed his dad was there. "Alas, poor Sharon, we knew her well," he drawled sarcastically.

"We can put the kids somewhere safe. Keep a cop on them at the hotel. I can call her parents, let them know to tell the family not to believe anything they see on the news." Andy sighed. "My head will end up mounted on her wall…"

"You married her," Provenza muttered. "I told you nothing good would come of calling her _Sharon_."

His lips pursed. Fritz looked at Mason and shrugged. "We could release a statement to the press. Have the hospital lock down her records; treat her under a different name."

"The LAPD regrets to inform the community that despite the best efforts of the physicians at UCLA Medical Center, Commander Sharon Raydor succumbed to her injuries this evening," Mason shook his head. "That's brutal, but it might just work. We'd have to keep it on need to know, her kids and immediate family only. No one outside this room can know that it's a ruse."

"I would suggest also informing Rusty's security detail," Provenza stated. "Sanchez and the other two."

"Since Amy is assigned to Sharon's kids," Andy pointed out, "you better tell her too."

Mason nodded. "That also includes the officers that will be assigned to protect the Commander. I still want her to have constant security. Just in case Stroh decides to check out our story, or figures out that we're lying." He glanced around the room. "I'll work on that press release. Lieutenant Provenza, coordinate with the hospital. Chief Howard, you're in charge of security for the Commander's family. Let's set up the best people outside the hospital and Mr. Beck's safe house. We're going to put this in motion and see if we can flush him out."

"How?" Buzz still had a look of disgust on his face. "If we've got more security on Rusty, how does that pull Stroh out of hiding?"

"We're going to have to plan a memorial service, Buzz." Andy looked at him again. "He would expect Rusty to attend that. Then he's going to follow him home."

"Where we'll be waiting for him," Charlie promised darkly.

"Bait only works when you throw it into the pond," Tao offered, but not unkindly. He gave Buzz a sympathetic smile. "It's the only way, Buzz. The Commander won't like it, but eventually, even she would agree to do it. She did before."

"And that turned out oh so well," Buzz rolled his eyes at them.

"Yeah." Andy sighed. "She had blisters on her heels from running down the stairs in her bare feet. The condo association wasn't too happy about that door that she broke down either." He turned away from the wall of monitors. The sight of Phillip Stroh was turning his stomach. "I'm going back to the hospital."

"If she wakes up, are you going to tell her what we're planning?" Buzz watched him curiously, and not a little suspiciously.

"When she wakes up, Buzz, she's going to know." Andy shook his head as he walked away. "Just because she would object to it, doesn't mean she wouldn't do it. The hardest part isn't going to be talking her into allowing it. It's going to be keeping her from getting involved."

Provenza pulled himself out of his chair. He made a face at Buzz as he walked past him. "Eight flights of stairs and one fire extinguisher, Buzz. Hell hath no fury like the Raydor when Rusty is in trouble."

He made it out of the room and halfway down the hall before he sighed. Andy glanced back and noticed that his son was shadowing him again. "I don't need a babysitter," he grumbled.

"I promised Nicole that I would keep an eye on you." Their stepdad was staying at her place tonight. Charlie would have preferred to stay there too, but Nicole had been pretty tearful and adamant when she asked him to keep an eye on their dad. That part of him that was the older brother, the side that was taught from the day that she was born that he was supposed to take care of her had kicked in and he agreed to do it. She was worried that their old man would do something stupid. That he would get himself hurt or killed, or end up falling over with another heart attack. There was even some concern that he might slip, fall off of his carefully constructed wagon. He had been sober for twenty years, but he was always the first one to tell them that he couldn't promise that he would always _stay_ sober. They had already lost their mother and all that grief was still buried under several layers of shock and anger. Charlie wanted to catch the asshole too, so maybe that was fueling him just a little.

Andy rolled his eyes as he continued striding down the hall. "You should be keeping an eye on your sister." Normally he would feel a little elated that Charlie cared enough to tag along, but he would prefer to keep both his kids as far away from this case as possible. It was already bad enough that they had been affected by it in the worst way possible. His son had chosen to be a cop, and that was worrisome enough without having to consider which suspect they were tracking.

"I am." His long-legged stride had him catching up with the older man easily enough. Charlie fell into step with him. "Nic is already messed up. She's devastated over mom, and she's worried about Jake. She's worried about what she's going to tell the boys in the morning. She hasn't wrapped her head around all of it yet. Neither have I. We'll have to help Jake with the arrangements because right now it doesn't seem real to any of us. There's a thousand things to do and a lot of people to call. The last place I wanna be right now is hanging out with you." They stopped at the elevator bank and Charlie glared at him. "I want to be with my family, but my baby sister asked me to keep an eye on you because she's already lost one parent."

His dark eyes burned with emotion. Charlie's jaw clenched for a moment. He regarded his father closely before he continued. "We figured that would end up being you. We made plans. Nicole did, actually. She made me sit down with her and talk about it. Face the reality of it. It seemed more likely after the blood clot and the heart attack. She decided that we should be ready for it. So we talked about what we would do, and who we would have to call. How she wanted to take care of Sharon when it happened, because even though I haven't been around to see it, or haven't really wanted to see it, Nicole knows that there's someone else in your life that would care if you weren't around anymore. So we were ready; we just weren't ready for it to be mom. Nicole asked me to keep an eye on you," he repeated, "and despite the fact that I'm pretty sure you were half drunk at the time, I remember you telling me when I was five that my job was to take care of her. So I'm doing that."

The elevator doors opened and Charlie stepped inside. He waited until his father joined him, looking just as upset as he was. They both stood, hands in their pockets. Charlie sighed. "Besides, if you'd stop getting slashed up, fainting at work, jumping onto moving vehicles, cracking your head open on your girlfriend's bathroom floor, or having heart attacks, we might _all_ stop thinking that you need a babysitter."

Andy exhaled a heavy sigh. He rolled his eyes toward the roof of the elevator and counted to ten before he spoke again. "You're starting to sound like Sharon," he grumbled. She was constantly reminding him of all the many ways that he managed to scare the crap out of her over the last couple of years. Reasons for why she was perfectly happy to keep him at a desk for a little while longer. Andy felt his hands curl into fists in his pockets. "I'm sorry about your mom. She deserved a lot better than being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"We don't know what happened," Charlie spoke through a painful lump in his throat. "I've been thinking about it, though. Her showing up probably saved Sharon's life; it's obvious that she managed to really injure him, so mom being there might have helped. It distracted him long enough for Sharon to be able to fight back."

"It shouldn't have happened." They should have taken those leads more seriously, followed up on them, even if it was a long shot.

"It was probably the annulment papers." Charlie sighed again. "She knew about the engagement party. Nic told her. Mom wasn't stupid. She saw through Nic. The only reason for the annulment now was because you were getting remarried and the new wife is devout." Charlie shrugged. "Well, more devout than we are. Nic did it for Sharon, because she really likes her."

Andy bowed his head. The grief came, but he tried to push it down again. "You know," he said thickly, "the last couple of years, your mom and I were okay. She and I were never going to be friends, but we could let the past go."

"I know." Charlie stared at the doors in front of them. He concentrated hard on the seam down the middle. "Mom told me. She said you finally grew up. You pulled your head out of your ass." He cast a look at his dad. "Well, she said that Sharon pulled your head out of your ass. She liked her. That's why she did it. Mom was pissed at you for a long time, but she didn't want you to be unhappy."

"Yeah." The pain had the muscles of his neck tightening. It was almost too much. "I know." He shook his head. Andy let his gaze fall to the floor. "Wife-in-law," he muttered, and looked up at his son. "That's what your mother called Sharon. She said that at least I hadn't picked a thirty-something bimbo to be her new wife-in-law. Your mom went along with the annulment because she said that I finally found someone mature enough for her to hand over custody to." They had talked about it; a couple of weeks after Sharon's sons had pulled their stunt. Andy didn't want Vicki to feel manipulated. The thought of having their marriage annulled had never occurred to her because Jake wasn't Catholic. So there was no doubt that she was doing it for him. "It wasn't all bad," he said quietly. "We had a lot of good before I messed it up."

"I know." That was why Charlie was so angry with him. He remembered all of the good as well as all of the bad. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He let his dad walk through first and followed him. "You know, McGinnis isn't going to let me stay on this case. She'll ground me, probably put me on bereavement." The paid leave would effectively cut off his access to the case.

"Yeah." Andy cast a look at him as they walked through the lobby. "Guess it's a good thing that I need you around, huh? My sponsor isn't available and my blood pressure is up. My new wife is lying in the hospital and our kid is under lockdown somewhere so that we can protect him. I should have someone around to keep an eye on me. I'll have to apologize later, let Commander McGinnis know that it was my fault you still had access to the case after she took you off it. I mean, I couldn't make you leave the room every time we talked about it. That would be rude, and honestly, I just wasn't thinking all that clearly. My daughter has her kids to think about, and I was just trying to keep you close too. It's a very difficult time for the family."

Charlie felt the corners of his mouth twitch. He didn't smile, but his lips twisted into something that wasn't quite a grimace either. "It is. Pretty big family too," he agreed. "I didn't want you getting tired looking after the new brother and sister. I mean, they're pretty beside themselves between stepmom and baby brother. Ballerinas get emotional."

"They do," Andy agreed. "It ain't pretty." In his pocket he fingered Sharon's wedding band again. They walked down the sidewalk, headed toward where they had left his car. This time of day the parking garages near the PAB were closed to incoming traffic. It was the downside to having a job with a downtown office. "Just so we're clear," he said more seriously, "Stroh is the reason for all this. He goes down, no matter what. But we keep Sharon and Rusty safe."

He frowned as they walked. It was in direct contrast to the promises that he made to his sister. Charlie scowled at the pavement in front of them. "Okay." He wanted a chance at that bastard. He probably wouldn't get it, but he could make sure the son of a bitch didn't hurt anyone else. "I can go along with that deal." He didn't know them all that well, but it was important that no one else get hurt. "So why don't you tell me everything that you know about this guy. Is he really going to fall for all this?"

"He'll fall for it." Andy's lip curled. "Stroh is as arrogant as he is delusional. He'll believe that he was able to hurt Sharon badly enough to kill her because that's the outcome that he wants. He doesn't want to believe that she was able to defeat him. He will be wanting to make his move on Rusty and get out of town before he gets caught again, so he won't use as much caution as he normally would. He'll come after him as soon as he realizes where he is. It's just going to take a few days for him to poke his head up out of the sand again. That's plenty of time for us to have everything in place.

"The downside is, that's also time for the stepmother to wake up and get involved," Charlie pointed out.

"Yeah." Andy sighed. "Which is why my head is going to end up mounted on her wall. I'm going to have to keep her from doing that."

Charlie frowned at him. He was truly confused now. Everything that he had heard indicated that it wasn't possible. She was going to get involved as soon as she was conscious enough. If nothing else, she would end up pulling rank on most of them. "How?"

"By not telling her the real plan." He slanted a look at his son. "Lesson number 128,403,940 at not being like me. Lying to your wife is one thing. Lying to your boss is another. When your wife _is_ your boss and you're lying to both of them, you're really screwed."

"See." They reached his car and Charlie waited for his dad to unlock the doors. "This is what I'm saying. You need a babysitter."

"I'm starting to think that you're right." Andy folded himself into the car. His back was aching. Hell, he hurt all over. It had been a long day and an even worse night. He wanted to see his wife. He wanted it to all be over. Actually, he wanted to rewind to that morning and avoid all of this completely. That wasn't possible, however, so he would settle on just going back to the hospital and waiting for his wife to wake up.

 **-TBC-**


	8. Chapter 8

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

 **Warning:** Contains violent content.

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 **Chapter 8**

It was cold in the room. She wasn't sure when she came to that exact conclusion, but it was ultimately what she decided upon. It began with her feet. She could feel the chill that surrounded them, despite the blanket that was covering her. Her feet and ankles ached with it. The sensation traveled up her legs. As she became aware of that, she realized that same chill was surrounding her entire body. She tried to rub her feet together, but they felt heavy. It took more energy than it should have to turn her feet inward and rub the bottom of one foot over the top of the other.

It made her realize just how heavy the rest of her felt. She was rather tired. She couldn't remember having slept so heavily that it was hard to shake off. She would like to go back to sleep, to sink back into that blissful oblivion that she previously enjoyed, but now that she was aware of just how cold she felt, she couldn't seem to ignore it. The chill worked its way up her body, and with it, a shiver ran through her limbs.

It brought pain. The moment her body tensed in the cold she felt it. It was sharp, stabbing. It seemed to be everywhere at once, but more specific to her right side. She groaned in response. She couldn't seem to stop it. It was a short, desperate sound, and filled with all of the physical misery that she was currently experiencing.

"Sharon." He spoke her name quietly. Andy had gotten up when she started to grow restless. He opened the cabinets in her hospital room until he found one with extra blankets. He took two out of it and spread them over her now. Then he settled on the edge of her hospital bed, the thin mattress easily giving way under his weight. He was on her left side, the one that had taken the least amount of damage. Andy took her hand in his and stretched his other arm across her body to settle his free hand against her hip. He didn't restrain her, he knew better than that. His thumb stroked the top of her hand while he also rubbed her leg, from hip to knee, in slow soothing strokes.

He had known, when she began to move her legs, that she was cold. Sharon seemed to chill so easily. It was something that he had learned about her after their first few nights together. She would start with shifting, subtly at first, but then her legs would move, and she would rub her feet together. Typically, these days, she would end up scooting closer to him in the bed and she would slide her feet along his legs, tuck them beneath his calves. She was a heat seeker. Andy usually woke up with Sharon curled against his back with her arms tucked between their bodies, and her feet tucked beneath his legs. She called him her own personal heating system.

He had been sitting with her for a while now. Sharon was still in the ICU. They told him they would be keeping her there overnight and would probably reevaluate the following day, depending upon whether or not her condition remained stable. A glance at his watch told him that it was well past midnight. At some point Thursday had shown up. Andy had sent the kids off to the hotel with their police escort a couple of hours ago. Amy had gone with them too. There were still a couple of uniforms outside the door, and somewhere in the hospital, Charlie was milling around.

While Sharon struggled toward waking up, Andy hit the call button for the nurse. She seemed to be in some amount of pain. He decided when the nurse appeared a couple of minutes later that he wasn't moving. He shifted his attention to stroking Sharon's feet and ankles through the blankets instead, trying to warm them, careful in how he touched her because he recalled the cuts that had marred her skin. In the meantime, he studied her face. The bruising had gotten much worse in the hours since he and Gus found her in the condo. There was bruising around the cut in her hairline, and the blue and purple coloring extended down the left side of her face, where it mingled with the red and purple bruising of her cheek and jaw.

While Andy waited, the nurse checked her vitals. She folded down the blanket and checked her incision site too. They had told him the cuts on her legs had required bandaging, but only her right heel had required stitching. It was more jagged, torn rather than sliced. Andy didn't want to think about all that she had endured, what she had survived. He would rather concentrate on the fact that she was there, that she was alive. It was hard to ignore, though, when he saw the evidence of it covering her body.

"How she doing?" He glanced at the nurse as she made notes on a tablet.

"She's still stable. Her heart rate is picking up, but we expected that to happen when she began waking up. Doctor Mendez authorized pain medication throughout the night. He may change the dosage or order a different medication when he rounds in the morning. Right now I am going to give her some dilaudid. It's going to keep her pretty out of it. I don't think we can expect her to wake up until sometime tomorrow." She gave him a sympathetic look. "You should consider getting some rest, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, I should." It wasn't the first time that the staff tried to get him to leave. He wasn't budging. He was just the husband, but he used his badge to be allowed to stay well beyond visiting hours. Sharon would have his ass for that later. Andy didn't care. That was a lecture he would gladly sit through. As the nurse moved around the room, stepping out for a minute, Andy rubbed his hand back up Sharon's thigh to her hip. Her lashes fluttered. The line between her brows grew deeper. She wasn't quite awake yet. She was still hovering between pain and unconsciousness. She moaned again and he reached up to move her hair away from her face. His finger traced the right side of her face, the one that was less bruised. "It's okay," he told her.

The nurse reappeared before he could say anymore than that. Andy watched as something was injected into Sharon's IV. The nurse kept an eye on her vitals as she did it, and satisfied with what she saw, she left them alone. The effect wasn't immediate. Andy continued to watch his wife's face. The line between her brows was a few minutes in fading. Her breathing grew heavy again, and the restless shuffling of her feet stopped as she sank back toward oblivion.

He remained seated next to her. His fingers wrapped around her hand again. This was not the room that she had been in earlier. They had moved her after changing her identity within the hospital. Sharon Raydor was registered to ICU room 4. Once all the pieces were put into play to announce that she had died, they moved her across the ward to room 9. It was on a hall adjacent to the nurse's station, not readily visible from the rest of the ward. She had been in a corner unit before, with two glass walls. Now she had only the single, sliding glass door. They were keeping the privacy curtain that surrounded the bed closed. The ICU staff had been carefully vetted. The officers on the ward were keeping an eye on them.

It had taken an hour to inform everyone who needed to be about the plan they were putting into place. After the notifications were made, they began working with the staff to move Sharon and conceal her identity. She was being treated under an alias now, and as far as the media and general public were concerned, Sharon Raydor had succumbed to her extensive injuries earlier that evening. Martha Harrington was no one that Stroh, or anyone else, outside of those who needed to would ever know. It was a name that Charlie had tossed out in the car on their way back from PAB. Just some random, old lady name, he called it. Andy was going to let him deal with Sharon on that. His son was on his own.

Andy shook his head as he sat there. He watched her body grow more slack, without ever fully relaxing. He looked down while he stroked her hand and realized why it felt so odd. Her ring was still in his pocket. Her engagement ring was there now too. He had taken it out of the bag of belongings that they had given him earlier. He had someone fetch a pair of her glasses from the condo. Tao had gone by, after SID was finished processing the place, and thrown together a bag for him. He had him snag her spare glasses off the desk in the living room while he was there. She would want those when she woke up. Right now, though, he was more concerned with the bare state of her hand. It was an odd thing to focus on. Especially after how horribly the evening had gone. He supposed that he had just gotten used to seeing the shine and sparkle of her engagement ring on her finger.

He reached into his pocket and pulled both rings out. Andy considered them for a moment. He moved them around his palm, flipped them over with his thumb. Then he sighed. He shook his head again. Not for the first time that night, Andy wondered if they were cursed. Just when he started to think they were happy, something happened to challenge that. The clot, his heart attack, bombs, and now this… They seemed to manage to get to the other side of most things, but Stroh wasn't in custody yet, and he couldn't predict how this situation would end up. If all they had was now, and these few moments together, he figured that they just had to live in them. That was more of something that Sharon would say to him, however.

He smiled a little crookedly at that. Then he slipped her rings back onto her finger. It was where they belonged, even if symbols didn't truly define them. Maybe it was the visual representation. Maybe he was just old and set in his ways. It could be that boring machoism that Sharon sometimes complained about, usually right before she tossed a pillow or dish towel at him, but he liked knowing that someone else would see those rings and recognize that she belonged with him. Not _to_ him, but _with_ him. If he suggested anything else, Sharon would remind him why he had kept that old, red bean bag all of these years; the one that used to be in his desk before his desk got blown asunder in the explosion that had destroyed their murder room. They never did find that beanbag, but Andy still had the memory of it. It was enough to make him refrain from some of his more idiotic behavior, most of the time. He would never tell Provenza, but sometimes an old dog could learn new tricks.

Andy sighed again. He moved from the bed to the chair that he previously occupied beside her bed. Thinking about Sharon and home and the possibility of the life they could have wasn't doing a whole lot for his mood. Of course, having his wife in a hospital bed had already ruined most of what he was feeling that day. Andy leaned forward and rested his head against her thigh. He drew her fingers to his lips and continued to watch her face, bruised though it was, she was still beautiful. She wasn't at peace, though, and he wondered how long it would take for her to feel that again.

The rest of the night passed in much the same way as the previous few hours. Andy sat with Sharon, listening to the silent beeping of the monitors in her room and the occasional hiss of the IV machine. He had only just started to doze off when she became restless again. That became the process when the pain medication wore off. Sharon would grow restless and begin to move as her body recognized the pain that it was in.

She was given another dose of dilaudid before sunrise, and her pained shuffling had started again just after shift change. The day nurses had warned him then that they were decreasing what they were giving her. They would have to get her up and walking soon, and the doctor would want her to be somewhat lucid when he did his rounds.

Andy was thinking about that when he finally fell asleep, his eyes simply too heavy to remain open any longer. He was leaning against the side of her bed, slumped in the stiffly cushioned chair, while his feet were propped on the only other chair in the room. His head had dropped forward, and his arm was still draped across Sharon's legs, from the last time that he had rubbed them. He felt her when she began to move again. Andy jerked awake before the first, pained hum sounded in her throat. There was a pain in his neck and his shoulder was stiff from how he had been sleeping, but he ignored it as his hands moved up and own his wife's legs.

"You're okay," he spoke quietly, but his voice was rough with fatigue. Andy reached for the call button to let the nursing staff know that she was awake again, and moved to sit on the edge of her bed as someone came in to check on her.

This time, for pain, they gave her Vicodin, and for the first time in over twelve hours, Sharon's eyes fluttered open. She was groggy and not really seeing him, but she turned her face toward the sound of his voice. It took a few minutes longer for the Vicodin to take effect, and when it did, the reaction was much different than Andy had gotten used to during the night.

She was cold again. It seemed to make her body hurt all the more. Sharon tried to not think of that. She tried to think about something else. Sharon kept her eyes closed and concentrated on breathing. She was taking stock of everything, though. That seemed to happen as she became more aware of the room around her.

Behind her eyelids she began to see images. There were quick flashes of memory. The heel of her foot was throbbing, and she immediately tried to remember how it happened. She was taken back to the bathroom, the to tub.

 _Sharon barely had a moment to think, or even to draw breath, before she was completely submerged. She responded instinctively. She reached up and grasped at the hand that was holding her under the water. Her fingers clawed at his arm while she convulsed. She swallowed bathwater, gagged on it. Her legs thrashed, kicking out, and panic began to set in as her throat and chest burned with the water that was filling her lungs. Pain, sharp and sudden moved up her leg when her foot struck the faucet._

 _In a moment of sudden, desperate clarity, Sharon struck out with her arm. She hit him in the groin and he let go of her. She came out of the water, gasping and sputtering, and bent forward to grip the sides of the tub and hold herself up. The water around her was turning pink and she realized, vaguely, that her foot was bleeding. She gagged and her stomach heaved. As the water was expelled from her body Sharon pulled herself over the side of the tub. She hit the tile and glass crunched beneath her. The metal and glass shelf between the tub and the toilet was on its side, and its glass shelves were broken. She was sprawled on the pieces._

 _The glass cut into her hands and legs as she moved to her knees, still gagging, retching up the water that had filled her lungs and stomach._

Sharon was already pale, but beneath the bruises, her pallor grew an alarming shade of gray. Andy had barely a minute to react, to reach for the basin on the table beside her bed as she leaned forward and her stomach began to heave. Andy held it for her, and curled his arm around her upper body while yelling for the nurse to return.

Joe was one of her day shift nurses. He came in wearing pale blue scrubs and when he saw the state that his patient was in, he pulled a pair of sterile gloves onto his hands. "That's not unexpected," he told Andy. "She's got a concussion on top of the anesthesia and the meds that she's on. It's not uncommon for the Vicodin to do this. I'll check the medicine orders in her chart, the doctor probably already wrote a substitution for morphine, just in case." As he spoke, he reached over with one hand and hit the call button. "Tracy, check Ms. Harrington's chart, let's see if she's got an order for morphine, while you're at it, see if Doctor Mendez wrote something for nausea."

The nurse took the basin from him and held it, while Sharon seemed to slump against him. Andy pulled her hair back from her face and reached for the box of tissues beside the bed. He pulled it over and set it in her lap before pulling several out of it. He held them for her, and though her hand was shaking, Sharon took them from him. "You said that he wanted her up and walking by noon. Is that really a good idea?" Andy looked skeptical at the idea.

"We don't want her forming clots from being prone for too long. That's always a risk with surgical patients, especially those that have experienced a trauma or severe injury. Getting her up and moving is good for her. It also cuts down on the chances that she might develop other post-op complications, like pneumonia." Joe looked over as one of his dayshift coworkers walked into the room. Tracy had the patient's chart and a syringe of clear medication. "What do we have?"

"He wrote orders for Zofran, to counteract the nausea. The Vicodin was his preference for weaning off the Dilaudid, but she has orders for morphine and Tramadol too." Tracy looked from the patient to her husband. "We'll try the morphine first, but with the Zofran, it should be okay."

While Joe worked on disposing of the basin and getting Sharon a glass of water and a mouth swab for rinsing her mouth, Tracy injected the medication and helped Andy ease her back down onto the bed. She checked her incision and vitals before moving out of the room again. Joe got them another basin out of the closet, just in case, and placed it beside the bed.

After they had both gone, Andy swept her hair back from her face again. Her eyes were closed, but the line between her brows was back. She was obviously still in some pain, despite the medication that she had earlier. "I thought we agreed no more hospitals."

"Hm." She could barely manage a low, soft sound. Her eyes were heavy. Sharon drew a breath, she was concentrating on the way her stomach continued to want to roll and ache. She forced her eyes open and looked up at him. "Maybe you were a bad influence on me." Her tongue swept over her dry lips. She grimaced at the taste the swab had left behind. "It's good you married me already. Now you're really stuck with me."

"Well…" He made a show of wiping an imaginary spot away with a tissue. "If you can't puke on your husband, there's not much point in calling it love, is there?" Neither of them smiled. There didn't seem to be much to smile about. Andy reached out and touched the tip of her chin. He turned her face toward him. "You're still here. What do you remember?"

"Where is Rusty?" She asked instead.

"Safe." Andy's eyes narrowed. "Sharon?"

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her stomach pitched alarmingly. Too much, she remembered entirely too much.

 _She reached out and curled her hand around a large shard of glass. When he came at her again she was ready. She buried it in his leg and scrambled to her feet._

 _Her first instinct was to run for the hall, but instead Sharon turned. She drove her shoulder into the middle of his chest and pushed Stroh as hard as she could. On the wet and glass strewn floor, he stumbled. It was enough. Sharon ran past him toward the bedroom, and to the small handgun that was hidden in the top drawer of the table on her side of the bed._

 _Phillip was right behind her, however. He caught her arm as she moved into the bedroom and made the turn toward the bed. Stroh used her momentum against her and Sharon saw stars when she collided with the bookshelf that they had added when Andy moved in. It stood between the closet and the bathroom. The heavy oak piece shook, rocked back and forth. The shelves that she had collided with broke upon impact. Books and mementos rained down on her as she fell._

Sharon shook her head. Her tongue swept over her lips again. "I don't want to tell this story more than once," she whispered. She forced her eyes open and looked at him. There was only concern in his gaze. He was worried about her. She wriggled her fingers in his grasp and managed to turn her hand over to clasp his palm. "Where is Rusty?" She asked him again, this time with more determination in her tone.

"Safe." Andy promised her. He sighed. "He's in custody. Julio is with him, along with Chief Howard's best guys. Cooper probably took a shift watching him too, if he's not with Amy. She's got the other two covered. They're at the hotel, along with Gus. Rusty is in a safe house. They're all safe, Sharon. They've all got around the clock protection. So do you." He jerked his head toward the door. The officer stationed there wasn't visible, but Andy knew that the cops on that floor hadn't left. "Charlie is around here somewhere too."

Her eyes were drifting closed again. It was hard to stay awake, even harder to focus. "Then you already know." She hadn't had to tell him _who_ had attacked her. Maybe that was the first thing that she should have said. Her mind wasn't working as quickly as it normally did. Sharon frowned. The nausea was not all that she didn't like about the pain medication.

"We got him on camera coming and going," Andy told her. "Looks like you beat the hell out of him. I haven't seen Stroh look that bad since the Chief got a piece of him." He reached up and stroked her hair back from her forehead. Andy's knuckles brushed her cheek. "Rest. He's not getting anywhere near Rusty. I'll call Provenza and he can send someone down here to record your statement…" There was more that he should tell her, details specific to the op that they were working for catching Stroh. Andy decided she would be better able to focus on that later. Her words were slurring and her eyes were glassy.

Closing her eyes wasn't the difficult part. It was blocking out the sights and sounds when she did that Sharon was having a hard time with.

 _She was scrambling away from the shelf. Her hand closed around something, a heavy glass globe that was an award of some kind. She threw it with as much might as she could muster, but heard it strike the wall. He grabbed her hair again to drag her upward. Although she cried out in pain, she drew her knee up and tried to strike him with it._

" _Ah, ah, ah!" Phillip was ready for it this time. His hand gripped her throat, just under her chin. His fingers bit into her jaw. "You really are an annoying inconvenience." He pulled her around the room as he spoke, and easily batted away her attempts at further injuring him. "I will say that I'm mildly impressed. I can almost see what the equally annoying Lieutenant Flynn see's in you. Not bad. For a little old lady."_

 _She spit in his face. It was rather vulgar and not her usual style, but at this point she would use whatever she could to fight this particular madman. "Go to hell," she grunted._

" _You first." Stroh tossed her away from him. He wiped his face as she stumbled and fell over the bench at the foot of the bed, almost taking it with her. He pulled the knife that he had brought with him out of the pocket of his black, utility, cargo pants. "You've expended quite a bit of effort on behalf of our dear Mister Beck. Did you really think it would last forever? What kind of police officer are you, anyway?" Stroh waved a hand at her attempts to get up again. "Here you are, playing at being a happy little family, all while I've been getting ready, thinking about the best way to tie up this last little loose end. It's simple, actually. Get rid of you."_

 _She was on the wrong side of the bed. Sharon moved to her knees again. She tried to stand up but her entire side was throbbing. Her arm was no good to her. If she had to guess, she would say that her shoulder was dislocated. Sharon made it to her feet, but swayed where she stood. She looked around the room for something else that she could use as a weapon. She had a pretty good opening for the table on Andy's side of the bed, but he kept his backup weapon in the outer room. It had seemed superfluous to keep two guns in the bedroom. She was regretting that now._

" _Do you honestly believe," she spoke, voice trembling with a mixture of pain and fury, "that no one is going to figure out what happened here? Even if you kill me, you won't get to Rusty. He will disappear, and you will never find him. There are people other than me that will make sure that you never get within ten yards of that boy."_

 _Phillip seemed to consider that. He shrugged at her. "Not if I get to him before they know what's happened to you." His lips pulled back from his teeth in something that might have been a smile. "Even if I don't, I can be patient. It may not happen this week, or this month, or even this year… but he will get careless, like Rusty always does. Without you around to keep an eye on him, I'll be waiting. Then he won't be a problem for anyone anymore."_

" _You can try." When he came for her, she lunged toward the bed. Phillip caught her leg, however, and she was pulled backward. She let out a loud yell when she hit the floor on her injured side. Pain burned through her. She thought she might be sick with it. The room seemed to be spinning too._

" _Sharon." A voice sounded down the hall. They hadn't heard anyone enter the condo. "What is going on in here?"_

 _She was as surprised as Stroh when the other woman stepped into her bedroom. It took Sharon a moment to realize who it was. Without her glasses she could only make out the shape of the body, and that coupled with the inflection of the voice… "Vicki, get help!"_

 _Only a second or two passed between the shouted command and movement at the bedroom door. Vicki scanned the room and upon comprehending what she was seeing she moved. Instead of running for the living room or the phone, as she had been told, she allowed instinct to take over. Vicki reached behind the bedroom door and let her hand wrap around the handle of the baseball bat that she had known would be there. That was where Andy always kept it when she lived with him. It seemed that some things didn't change. She lifted it toward her shoulder and as she moved forward, she swung it toward the man's head._

"He was distracted by Vicki," Sharon said tonelessly. She recounted the events of the attack for Lieutenants Provenza and Tao. They had waited until after her doctor had been around to see her. By that point Andy had told her everything that she needed to know regarding their current situation. Since she was dead, and the ICU was far more secure than any other areas of the hospital, they were going to be keeping her there. Also, considering the fact that she was now _dead_ , they would have to be careful in how Emily and Ricky were allowed to visit her. They couldn't go to the hospital together, and their police detail would have to make certain that they were not followed.

It had only taken hearing about her reported death for Sharon to realize that they were trying to bait Stroh out of hiding. It was a fact that she was none-too-thrilled about. She was still ranting at Andy about that when Charlie returned. He had gone home while his dad was napping to shower and change. Now he stood to the side of her room, silent, eyes dark and brows drawn together in a deep frown while he listened to her describe how his mother had died.

The two lieutenants tried to get him to leave the room. Charlie wouldn't go. Sharon was too tired and in too much pain to argue about it. His dad had been the deciding vote. He told the other two to get it over with so that Sharon could rest. He watched her, the woman that was his stepmother, and tried not to become physically ill as she described for them how she had received every cut, and every bruise.

"I was able to crawl across the bed," she continued. "I keep my backup weapon in the table beside it. I took the Beretta out of the drawer and when I turned around, Vicki had fallen. Stroh was walking toward me. The room was spinning, and without my glasses everything was distorted, but I'm sure that I hit him. I fired at least twice. I attempted to hold him with the gun, at least while I checked on Vicki, but he lunged at me again. I fired a third time, but he managed to knock the gun out of my hand." Sharon drew a breath. She exhaled slowly. "He stabbed me, and I fell… or I was thrown. I'm not really certain. Stroh left at that point. He must have thought it was enough, or wanted to get out of the condo before someone reacted to the sound of the gunshots. I wasn't able to get up again, but I did crawl as far as the hamper. I remember pulling a shirt out of the pile for the dry cleaner, and thinking that I needed to get to my phone, but everything after that is completely blank. At least until I woke up here."

"When Gus and I got back," Andy picked up the story, "we found the door open. I was pretty sure that I locked it behind me, so I moved in to check it out. I keep my backup weapon in the front closet. I got it out for Gus and he covered me while we cleared the condo. We found Sharon laying in the hall." He didn't want to recall that image, but it wasn't going to be leaving him anytime soon. "Vicki was still in the bedroom. There was no sign of Stroh. I had Gus call it in while I checked on Sharon," he told Provenza, "you know the rest."

"You hit him," Tao told her. "We type-matched blood that we found in the condo and the stairwell. There was blood in the vehicle that he left the complex in too. All of it was a match. DNA isn't back yet, but we're sure that it was Stroh's."

"He hasn't left the city yet," Provenza agreed. "He's gone underground somewhere to lick his wounds." The Lieutenant stood up. He could tell that by now the Commander had reached her limit. What little strength she had was beginning to fade. "We'll make sure that you don't have to tell this story again, at least not for a few more days, but you know how it is."

"That I do." She would likely have to repeat her statement for Hobbs or Rios, and again for Assistant Chief Mason. Then if they managed to capture Stroh and he went to trial, she would need to testify as well. Sharon was well aware of the process that lay before her. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Try to get some rest," Tao told her. "We'll keep you updated." He shared a look with Flynn as he left. They were going to have to tell Rusty that she was awake. Keeping him away from the hospital was going to be even harder than getting him to agree to go into protective custody to begin with. Hopefully Rusty had not gotten any better at dodging his protection detail.

Sharon waited for them to leave before she looked across the room at Charlie. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Your mother saved my life."

"That damned Scapelli temper." Andy leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows against his knees. "It was always getting her in trouble when we were kids." He had grown up with Victoria Scapelli. Their mothers had been friends. They were in middle school when her family moved to California, but Vicki's grandmother was still in the old neighborhood. She would visit every summer.

"It doesn't change anything." Charlie sighed. "She's still gone." He jerked his head toward the door. "And he's walking around out there somewhere."

Andy's head turned. "Not for long," he promised his son. Whatever they had to do, Stroh wasn't getting away this time.

 **-TBC-**


	9. Chapter 9

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

The liver laceration was such that Sharon's primary treating physician was not allowing her to move around as much as previously predicted. They were insistent upon keeping her in the ICU, a moot point to argue given the current security concerns, but she was still listed in guarded, critical condition. Currently, while her bed was being changed and her room tidied, Sharon had been taken for more tests. The doctor had ordered scans to make sure that her internal injuries had not been exacerbated by that morning's activities or the adverse reaction to her medication.

While Sharon was in radiology with her security detail, Andy and Charlie were seated in the waiting room just outside of the ICU. It had been a long day, one of those days when Andy really couldn't recall having not been so exhausted. He wasn't able to do more than nap for a few minutes at a time throughout the night, waking at every sound or movement, constantly on the alert for any danger, always concerned about the condition that Sharon was in. Now he was slumped in a chair, legs sprawled in front of him and his head resting against the back of the it.

His eyes were closed, but Charlie could tell that he wasn't resting. He was still holding himself too stiffly. There was also a tall cup of really bad hospital coffee held in his hand, which was resting on the arm of his chair. Charlie slanted a sideways look at him. Sharon tried to get him to leave, go to a hotel since the condo was still a crime scene, and get a couple of hours of sleep, but he wouldn't do it. He wasn't going to leave her, not unless he had to. The old man was stubborn, and the new wife was too tired and in too much pain to argue with him, but Charlie could tell that she wanted to. Then, before the decision was even made, his dad started calling her _Mrs. Flynn_ and that seemed to really irritate her.

He shook his head. "Do you get her riled up like that for fun?" Charlie hadn't really had a chance to witness a lot of their relationship, so he wasn't entirely sure if this was normal for them or a side effect of the last couple of days.

Andy only grunted in response. His eyes remained closed. It was better for the pounding in his head if he kept them like that. He thought about the question and snorted. "Fun? No. It distracts her though, some of the time." He stretched his legs, grimaced as his knees popped and creaked. His legs were aching too. Actually, Andy was pretty sure there was not a part of him that wasn't currently aching in one way or another.

"What's the big deal with the name?" Charlie didn't understand it. "If she didn't want to change it, why did she get married?"

His eyes finally opened. Andy's head rolled against the back of the chair and he looked at his son. "She'll change it. At least in our personal life. She's pretty traditional about those kinds of things. She will probably keep _Raydor_ at work." Andy shrugged. There wasn't a lot that he could do about that, and it was going to annoy him on some occasions, but that was who she was, and he loved her. "It's not about the name. It's about where it came from." He ran a hand over his face and sat up. "If she was married to anyone else, or if she was a widow, I wouldn't give a damn. Her ex-husband is a piece of work, but she can handle him. He's just going to piss me off every chance he gets, though."

Charlie frowned at him. "Mom hyphenated, Jake didn't care. He thinks you're an asshole too." He shrugged. "So what's the big deal?" He squinted at his dad. "Is this that macho, bull-headed, pain in the ass thing that the women are always complaining about?"

Andy snorted again. "Probably." He shook his head. "Your mom and I split up when you kids were little. When she married Jake she still wanted to share part of your name. It wasn't about me, it was about you guys. It was a different situation, that's why Jake didn't care. Jackson Raydor is just an asshole and I don't want any part of him in our marriage... he just... he pushes my buttons. I know that he's going to push my buttons. Sharon knows that he's going to push my buttons. It's going to drive us both crazy when he does it, and she's going to remind me, for about the five thousandth time, not to let him do it, but..." It was just one of those things. "I'm not bothered by Sharon wanting to keep her professional name. It's hers. She's going to think about changing it, because she believes that she should weigh her options, and because she believes that I deserve that much, but in the end it's what makes sense. I know that. She knows that." Andy shrugged at his son. "Everything is a discussion with her, and everything gets carefully considered. We'll compromise and it will be fine. Until then..." He waved a hand because he was too tired to come up with any more words to describe the situation.

"You're poking the bear. Irritating her to distract her." Charlie rolled his eyes at his father. "What are you, twelve?" It might have been amusing if their circumstances were different. He could honestly say at this point that he didn't understand his dad's relationship with his new stepmom.

"No, actually." Andy leaned forward and stretched the muscles of his back. "According to Sharon I'm stuck at about fifteen. She seems to think that if I continue to listen to her I might make it to seventeen by the end of the decade." He rolled his head around on his shoulders and stretched his neck before standing up to pace around the room.

His dad's tone was dripping with sarcasm. Charlie just shook his head and decided to let it go. He wouldn't pretend to understand the relationship that his dad had with the new wife. He barely understood his own relationships most of the time. "Basically it's what I said before. You're macho and bull-headed and it drives her crazy."

"Basically." Andy was a little surprised that Charlie even wanted to know. His son didn't usually pay a lot of attention to what went on in his life. "We're old," he said with a shrug. "We're both kind of set in our ways. It's not a deal breaker, but it's something that we'll talk about." He stopped pacing and cast a questioning look at his son. "Why?"

"I don't know." Charlie leaned back in his chair. "It just seems like a dumb thing to be hung up on, that's all. Besides..." His brow arched. "If anyone hears the words _Commander Flynn_ they'll probably start pulling out the riot gear and doomsday prepping."

Andy rolled his eyes at his son. He was spared having to comment on it when his phone began to vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket with a sigh. There was a text from one of the officers on Sharon's protection detail. "She's back in her room," he stated. Andy put the phone back in his pocket and drained the rest of his coffee before striding out of the room. He didn't bother to check to see if Charlie was following him. His son had become his shadow in the last twenty-four hours.

They both showed their badges to the officers outside Sharon's room before stepping inside. To Andy, Sharon seemed paler than before she was taken for her scans. He leaned over the side of her bed; a hand braced against the top of her mattress, just above her head, while the fingers of his other hand gently stroked her cheek. There was a line between her brows. "Hey beautiful."

Her lids fluttered but didn't open. She made a low sound that might have been a grunt. "Liar." She lay there for a moment longer before she finally opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hi."

"Do you need anything?" She looked to him as though she might be in pain. "Did they give you anything when they brought you back?"

"More dilaudid," she said quietly. "I'll be asleep soon." Sharon didn't particularly care for the stronger pain relievers, but she wasn't complaining this time. She was in a good deal of pain after the trip to radiology and back. She reached up and touched his wrist briefly. "You can get me out of here if you _really_ want to get me something."

"I don't think that's gonna fly, sweetheart." He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose.

Sharon scrunched her nose at him. "Then stop asking what I need," she replied tersely. He only stared at her until she sighed. "Sorry." The pain, coupled with their current circumstances, was making her cranky. "Have you spoken to the kids?"

"Ricky and Emily are driving Sykes crazy," he told her. "She's going to see what she can do to get one of them in here to see you tonight. Coop will bring the other one early tomorrow morning." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. "Julio tells me that Rusty is okay. He's worried about you, but he's okay. He's starting to feel a little stir crazy, but we expected that."

"All the more reason to get me out of here as quickly as we can," Sharon told him. "Andy, you and I both know that the longer Rusty is in protective custody, the more chance there is that he will do something foolish."

"Maybe." He couldn't completely disagree with her. "For right now, Rusty promised to stay put and I'm holding him to that. You're not going anywhere for at least a few days, Sharon."

She groaned quietly. "That is not what I wanted to hear." Her lips turned down in a displeased look. "You could do what you're so good at," she attempted. "You could go rogue and break me out of here."

Andy feigned surprise. "Are you really advocating that I go against doctors' orders, circumvent your security, and possibly impede a police action just to break the rules and get you out of here sooner?"

"Well," Sharon's eyes closed for a moment. Her entire side was throbbing. "Rule is a four-letter word. We should really reconsider how we feel about it."

"You're high," he decided. Andy pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he leaned back. "Either that or I'm going to have to rethink every conversation that we've ever had." He drew a chair closer to her bed and sat down in it.

"You go ahead and do that," Sharon drawled. "While you're busy, I'll get Charlie to take me home." She looked past him at his son. "You'll get me out of here, won't you?"

His brows shot up. "Are you kidding me?" Charlie shook his head at her. "Have you met my boss?" He held up a hand to about shoulder height. "About yay tall, blonde hair. She's little but she's mean. Oh no, I am not getting on the wrong side of her. Sorry Sharon, you're on your own."

Sharon sighed. She rolled her eyes toward Andy and gave him a resigned look. "You've ruined my reputation. I remember when it used to be me that they feared."

"That's okay honey," he gave her hand a light pat. "I'll get you a new broom." Her lip curled in disdain but he just slumped further into his chair, getting comfortable. "Go ahead and get some rest. I'll wake you up when Emily gets here."

She didn't have to be told twice. The medication was already taking effect. Sharon turned her head away from him as her eyes closed and shifted more toward her uninjured side. She wished that she could roll over; the mattress wasn't exactly conducive to her being stuck on her back for a prolonged period of time. "Fine. I'll get Amy to do it. _She_ won't say no to me."

Andy shook his head as she drifted off. He made a mental note to not leave Sykes alone with her. He had a pretty good feeling that Amy would come out on his side, but he wasn't going to chance it. Sharon could be persuasive to those who weren't completely used to her.

Charlie waited until she was out before he pushed away from the wall, where he had been leaning during the exchange. "I'm going to go check on Nicole and the others," he said. "Call me if anything happens?"

"Yeah." Andy barely spared him a glance. "I think she'll be out for a while. Tell Nicole that I'll call her later, probably while Emily is here to keep an eye on her mom."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'll tell her." He wasn't sure that his sister would remember that, but he had a feeling that she would be up, no matter how late it was when the stepsister finally got to visit. Nicole wasn't sleeping a whole lot at the moment, but he wasn't going to tell his dad that. The old man had enough to worry about. "I'll see you in a little while," he said, and slipped quietly out of the room.

Once they were alone, Andy settled in for another long vigil. He knew that the meds would keep her out for a while, and he was glad for that. Pretty soon, as her mind cleared, he worried that the sleeping would become a lot more difficult.

 **MCMCMCMCMCMC**

He was almost correct. It was not sleeping that Sharon had a difficult time with, it was waking up; the pain medication kept her from dreaming, but there was a moment as her body became aware and sleep fell away that her subconscious remembered the attack. In those moments she could feel her chest burning. She could taste the bathwater. She came awake with a start each time, struggling against the sensation that she was once again drowning.

Andy was there each time. He learned, the first time, that holding her while she struggled was a mistake. She fought against him, and that only caused her more pain as the struggle pulled at her surgical staples. Instead he stood beside the bed and leaned over her. His hands rubbed her thighs. "Sharon." He spoke her name, calmly and clearly.

The monitors beside her bed gave a single, trilling alarm to warn that her heart rate was climbing and her oxygen saturation was falling. Andy glanced toward the door when movement there caught his attention. Joe, the day nurse, was back, hovering, waiting. "She'll come out of it in a second," Andy told him. There was enough medication in her system. Sharon didn't want anymore. Andy captured one of her hands and drew it to his mouth. His lips were gentle against her fingers. "Sharon," he spoke her name again, a little more firmly this time. Andy leaned down, moved closer to her body. "You're okay," he murmured. He saw her lids flutter and reached up with his other hand to stroke his finger down the bridge of her nose.

Her eyes opened. She looked up at him, blindly at first. It took another few seconds for her to realize that she was awake and that she was not back in the condo. She took deep breaths and looked away from him. Her eyes closed again while she settled, slowly relaxing. Andy glanced toward the door. "It's alright," he told Joe. "I've got it."

The nurse studied her monitors for a moment. He waited another few seconds before he nodded. "I'll check on her again in a little while," he said.

"Yeah, I know." Andy waited until he was gone before he sat down on the edge of her mattress. His fingers gently swept her hair away from her face. She was still breathing deeply, measured breaths while she tried to control her body's reaction to the waking. Her heart rate seemed to be coming down again. Andy waited. His thumb stroked the back of her hand and he averted his gaze to studying the contrast of her small, pale fingers within his wider palm. He could feel her trembling beside him, and when she shuddered, he reached out with one hand to stroke her thigh through the blankets covering her.

Sharon drew a breath and let it out slowly. She turned her hand over in his and gave his fingers a squeeze. It took a little bit longer for the ache in her chest to recede enough that she only felt the aches of her injuries. She turned her head back and found him waiting, patient but concerned. Her thumb stroked along his index finger. When he looked up at her, Sharon managed a weak smile.

"Distract me," she said quietly, but it was more a request to distract them both. Sharon worried what all of this was doing to his stress levels and his heart. She would make a point, later, to tell Ricky or Charlie to make sure that he was taking his pills.

He didn't know what to say at first, what he could talk about that would take her mind off of everything that was happening. Andy didn't really believe that there was anything that could distract her. He played with her fingers while he watched the glimmer of emotions in her eyes, twisted her rings on her finger. "Ricky got his deposit back," he told her. "He was able to cancel the caterer, the flowers were a different problem. He called Father Thomas, though, and all of it is being donated to the church's hospice program. Ricky says we can find another party planner next time."

The thought of laughing hurt, but Sharon hummed in amusement. A smile curved her lips. "I'm glad that he reached out to the church. He's a good boy. We'll make it up to him later."

"I'm starting to think nurse Joe has a crush on you," he continued, moving on to the next subject. "My nurses are never that attentive."

"With good reason." Sharon said. Her brow arched at him. "You're a grumpy patient." She shifted where she lay. Her back was aching again. Sharon winced as pain moved through her. "Your nurses don't want to spend anymore time around you than they need to because you yell at them."

"I do not." Andy scowled at her. "I am not grumpy!" He huffed. "When was I ever not nice to one of my nurses?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Sharon's head tilted. Her lips pursed while she thought back. "Maybe when you woke up after your angioplasty and growled at her to stop fawning over you."

Andy rolled his eyes at her. "I thought it was you," he said. "You like to hover when I'm in the hospital." She would hover even more once he was released.

"The cure for that would be for you to stop ending up in the hospital," she shot back. "For that matter, Andrew Flynn, if you do not like the way that I take care of you, we can make other arrangements the next time that you do something stupid."

Andy rolled his eyes at her icy tone. She was all bark and very little bite when it came to threatening his recovery. She would pamper him again; it was just the way that she was. "I didn't have a heart attack on purpose, you know." Andy flashed a smug look at her. "There was no predicting that one."

"Ah, ah, ah," Sharon pointed a finger at him. "You did, however, jump on a moving vehicle on purpose. That little incident was completely avoidable, and I will remind you, darling husband, that your doctor said that heart attack was very likely a complication of that injury and brought on by too much stress." Her brows lifted and the corners of her mouth twitched. "Would you like to try again?"

His eyes narrowed. "I thought it was my turn to win the argument about the heart attack thing?"

"Complete forfeit because you're distracting me," Sharon replied.

"Ah." Andy leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Is it working?"

She shrugged her good shoulder at him and made a low, speculative sound. "Not especially, but thank you for trying." Sharon reached up and touched his face. His hair was a little more mussed than usual. She combed her fingers through the silver ends that were sticking up before letting her touch stroke the curve of his face. He was tired and drawn. There were dark circles beneath his eyes. "I wish that you would get some rest," she said quietly.

Andy covered her hand with his and turned his face inward. He kissed her palm. "I'm okay," he promised her. "I've been napping when I can. Don't worry about me, Sharon."

"I almost lost you, Andy." She shook her head at him; her smile was a little tremulous. "Of course I worry about you." They had spent entirely too much time in hospitals this year.

"Well, you didn't have to try and even the score." He held both of her hands in his and leaned close. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "Stop worrying about me. You're the one that almost died the other day. I need you to worry about getting stronger. Think about yourself for once, Sharon."

"I can't." Her eyes closed. She drew a thin breath. "I know that we have people watching him, but I can't, Andy." Sharon pressed her lips into a thin line. When she opened her eyes again, they were moist. "I can't protect him if I'm here."

"That's why you have us," he told her. "We've got eyes on Rusty. He's safe, Sharon. Even I don't know where he is." He lifted his hand and traced one bruised cheek with his thumb.

"For now," she replied. "He's safe _for now_." Sharon shook her head. "Then we're going to use him as bait. We are going to use Rusty to draw Stroh out of hiding. How safe will he be then, Andy?" She drew her bottom lip between her teeth and sighed. "I want to be with him when that happens."

There it was. Andy drew a breath. He had been expecting this. "You can't even stand, Sharon. How safe are you going to be able to keep Rusty?" He shook his head at her. "No. That's not going to happen. We're not going to give that bastard two targets. We stick to the plan."

"Andy." Her jaw clenched and she looked away for a moment. Sharon rubbed her lips together while she considered her next words. "I may not be able to do much, but Rusty will listen to me," she said carefully. "He may be cooperating right now, but he's afraid. He's worried about me and it's overriding everything else. That isn't going to last long. He's going to lose his patience and then he will do something stupid. Rusty will decide to take matters into his own hands, and we can't let that happen." Sharon gripped his hand tightly in hers. "Andy, I trust Julio with my life. I trust him with Rusty's life. I believe that Rusty trusts him too, but in the end, that isn't going to be enough."

He let go of her hand and stood up. Andy paced around the room. He pushed his hand into his hair and heaved a sigh. It rumbled through him, along with a low groan. She knew just what to say to get his mind focused on things that it shouldn't be. "Dammit, Sharon!" She knew which buttons to push. He scowled at her. "Did the fact that he almost killed you not occur? I mean, are you forgetting that? That son of a bitch tossed you around like a rag doll and stuck a knife in your gut. He already managed to kill Vicki, and what? You want me to toss you back out into the fray so that he can finish the job? How is that going to do Rusty any favors?"

She had angered him, and Andy tended toward melodramatic when he was unhappy with her. Sharon watched him pace. She folded her hands in her lap and let her eyes track his movements. "Don't try and guilt me with that," she replied in a low tone. "I am sorry about Vicki, but I couldn't save her. I can save Rusty." When he pointed a finger at her, Sharon lifted a hand. "Do not bring my other two children into this either. Ricky and Emily are perfectly safe, and I am certain that they will understand."

Andy's eyes narrowed. "So what? Assuming that we can get your doctors to agree to let you out of here, what are you suggesting? We lock you up in the safe house too and hope for the best?" He looked away, waved a hand in dismissal. "It's a bad idea, no one will go for it."

He was pacing now, a bit like a caged animal. Sharon's head tilted again. She almost had him. "Most of the world thinks that I'm dead. I can't stay here, Andy. Where am I going to go?" Her eyes closed. She let out another shaky sigh. "I can't go back to the condo," she whispered.

Andy drew to a stop. He stared at her, pale and bruised, and seeming so small in the hospital bed. "Shit," he swore again. He looked away and huffed a sigh. She was right; she couldn't go back to the condo. Despite the fact that it was now a crime scene, he doubted that either she or Rusty would ever want to go back there. Hell, he wasn't even sure that _he_ wanted to go back. Andy walked around the bed and sat down beside her again. His hip nudged her thigh as the mattress folded beneath him. He took her hands. "Okay, assuming that anyone agrees," he began, a little more calmly this time, "there's cops all over that safe house and it's not like you're going to have a whole lot of privacy."

"Well no," she agreed, "I won't. I am certain that we can adjust the protective detail accordingly, however." Sharon gave him a long look while he appeared to think about that. "Andy?"

"Fine." He rolled his eyes at her. "I'll see what I can do. I'm not making any promises. If we do this," he pointed a finger at her, "we do it while everyone is distracted with your memorial service. That means it won't be today and it won't be tomorrow. Understand? You need a couple of days, Sharon."

"So bossy all of a sudden." A small smile tugged the corners of her mouth upward. "I can't believe that I married a caveman." She wrapped her hand around the finger that was pointing at her and drew his hand down. "I agree; we will give it a couple of days until I am stronger. Don't expect me to wait any longer than that, though. I mean it, Andy. I will not be stranded here while my son is in danger."

Her voice took on a warning tone and he just gave her a bland look. "Now who is bossy?" Andy leaned forward and kissed her. "You convinced me, sweetheart, but I ain't Provenza or Mason. You still gotta run this by them. Save your strength and use all that attitude on them."

"Hm." Sharon tugged on him. She jerked her head toward the small space in the bed beside her. "We'll see about that. Right now, I think we could both use a nap."

Since that was not an argument that he felt like having with her, Andy toed off his shoes while Sharon eased over on the bed to make more room for him. He was careful as he stretched out alongside her. "You know, Joe is probably not going to like this," he warned.

"He probably isn't." Sharon managed to turn toward him, just a bit. She sighed as she settled against his warmth. It began to chase away the constant chill that she was becoming used to every time that she woke up. "But Joe is just going to have to understand that I am a married woman."

"Yeah." He laid his hand atop her stomach, below the incision and the bandages. "And you're not dating this time, so…" She dug her elbow into his middle and grimaced. "Ouch."

"Jerk." She closed her eyes but there was a small smile playing at her lips. "I wasn't dating the last time either," she reminded him.

"Several times a—" She elbowed him again and Andy decided it was probably in his best interests to shut up. He looked down at her. "Go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up again."

"I know," she whispered. Sharon's eyes closed. "You're always here when I need you."

Andy's smile faded into a grim look. He watched her, slowly relaxing beside him. Yeah, he was there, except when it had really mattered. That wasn't something that he would ever be able to make up to her, or any of them. His eyes closed while the bitterness of it churned in his gut.

 **-TBC-**


	10. Chapter 10

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Gathering at Nicole's house seemed to be a good idea. While Sharon was in the hospital and Andy was busy keeping an eye on her and playing go-between with the investigation, having the four of them together under one roof seemed like something that should happen. It was Gus's idea. To be honest, neither of Sharon's kids had thought about it, and both felt ashamed after the idea was posed to them.

Nicole and Charlie had lost their mother. Their stepdad was busy taking care of their mom, so the least they could do was try to be there for them. Their families were linked now. They should try to bridge whatever gap remained.

Ricky had called Nicole with the idea, and she requested that her brother be present for the afternoon. Gus was taking a turn at the hospital, keeping an eye on Andy while the four of them were together.

Silence settled over them after the initial introductions. The four were seated around a table on the patio behind Nicole and Dean's home. The boys were playing in the distance. They knew that something terrible had happened, but they were too young to completely understand it.

"How is your stepdad?" Emily finally asked, breaking the silence. She looked from Nicole to Charlie and back again. Their new stepbrother had not spoken much, at least not to them. She knew from things that Rusty had explained that he wasn't especially close to his dad.

"Still in shock I think." Nicole turned her glass of iced tea on the table. "He insisted on going home last night. I'm worried about him, but he wanted to be alone. Our stepbrothers are arriving today, but I'm not really sure that they will have any more luck than we did. Mom and Jake were together for twenty years. They were… they were each other's one, you know?"

Ricky and Emily exchanged a look. His sister looked away, but Ricky focused on the woman that was seated across from him. "Yeah," he said. "I think we know. We didn't have a lot of luck getting your dad to leave our mom."

"That's surprising." Charlie snorted. "Leaving is what he's good at." He was a little stunned by it too, and he had witnessed a good deal of it over the last couple of days.

"Charlie." Nicole scowled at him. "Please. Not right now, okay?" She would rather that he not be critical of their father at all, but especially not when they had guests, and certainly not with everything else that they were going through.

"From where I'm sitting," Ricky stated, "your dad is pretty good people." He arched a brow at the older man. "He's been nothing but good to our mom and he's taking care of her right now. I get that you've got issues, but you can't fault him on that."

"What do you know about it?" Charlie snorted at them. "You don't know my dad, okay. He gave you the flowery version. Just wait. I'm sure he'll eventually disappoint you too."

"I know that our father wasn't on the approved list of people that were told our mom is still alive," Emily said quietly. "They were worried, and we agreed, that he might slip in front of the wrong person. Sober or not, our father isn't the most trustworthy individual."

"And he hasn't called," Ricky continued. "Our mom is supposedly dead and we've not heard a word from him. I'm not going to say that his history makes your dad a candidate for _Father of the Year_ ," he said, "but at least he gives a damn."

Nicole sighed. She cast a sad look at her brother. "Charlie. Please?" Her brother was looking explosive. It was a combination of his own stubbornness and their father's temper.

"Fine." He deflated. Charlie slumped in his chair. "I'll lay off the old man for a couple of days. He's at least called to check on Nic, even if he is busy somewhere else." He folded his arms across his chest. "Sounds like yours is an even bigger piece of work."

"You could say that." Ricky shrugged. "We've come to expect it. Mom has always tried to make sure that we had a relationship with him, but the problem is, there's only so much that any of us can do. When we really need him, dad isn't around. Although, that might be a blessing this time; I can't imagine having to deal with him during all of this."

Emily nodded silently. She decided to change the subject instead. "Is there anything that we can do for you?" She glanced at Charlie again, but kept her attention on her stepsister. "I feel like we should be helping you somehow. Are there any calls that we can make, or… I don't know, something that we can organize?"

"That's very kind," Nicole replied, and managed a small smile. "Honestly there really isn't anything to do. Mom and Jake both have wills, and her wishes were pretty specific. We've called all of the family that we could think of and Jake has made several calls too." She shrugged. "A lot of it is already taken care of. Mom took care of a lot of it herself. When our grandmother passed away, I guess none of those details were really in place. Mom didn't want us to ever have to feel like that, so…"

"Sounds familiar." Ricky shook his head. "Our mom is big on plans too. I kind of hope your dad knows what he's getting in to. She's got plans for everything. Going to the grocery store requires a two hour family meeting," he joked lamely.

Silence settled over them again. It was awkward and stifling. Charlie couldn't stand it. His chair scraped against the stone patio flooring as he stood up. "Look, we don't have to do this," he told them. "Our folks got married but that doesn't mean that we need to have any part in it. We appreciate what you're trying to do here," he said, and gestured at his sister to include her in his statement, "but there's no reason to play at being a happy family. We're all adults; we've got our own lives. We don't need to pretend that this is anything more than that. We'll see each other a couple of times a year, we'll be civil, and that's it."

"No, that's not it." Ricky looked up at him. "We do have to do this." He shrugged. "You don't care, but we do. We get it. This is the worst possible time for any of this." His gaze dropped to Nicole and he smiled kindly. "The thing is, it's what our mother would expect from us. Whatever your relationship is with your dad," he stated, "we like him. He's been good to our family, and we know that he would like to be here right now. The only reason that he isn't is because he is taking care of our mom. We might not be able to help him do that, but we can do this. We can step up and be decent and do what he can't." His gaze lifted toward Charlie. "You're right, we don't have to expect to be more than civil to one another a couple of times a year, but for right now we can act like we're something other than strangers, if for no other reason than because our folks got married, but mainly because your mother died saving ours."

Nicole looked up at her brother again. She shrugged a single shoulder while moisture filled her eyes. They couldn't discount that. Their mother had died, for reasons they could not begin to understand, but in large part because she had chosen to fight rather than run. It didn't seem too much to ask that they find a little of that strength and attempt to meet their new step-siblings halfway. She knew that Charlie had agreed when his shoulders slumped and his head bowed. When he looked at her through his lashes, Nicole smiled sadly. She wondered if he would ever realize just how much like their dad he really was.

When Charlie moved back to the table, Nicole touched his arm. She gave it a squeeze, but pulled away quickly. Her brother was not the overly demonstrative type. When she turned back to the other two, she shrugged again. "I have to put together a wake for almost a hundred people. My mother's Italian relatives are going to be descending on us. I don't suppose either of you cook?"

"No." Emily sat forward. Her hands were clasped together in her lap. "Not unless you plan on serving salads or deep dish pizza." She jerked her head toward Ricky. "This one got banned from the kitchen when he was fifteen. He lives off _Amazon Prime_ and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

"One little grease fire." That had almost taken out their entire house, but they didn't need to get into all that. Ricky pulled out his phone. "I can do better than cooking, actually. I happen to know a local caterer that just got a major opening. Why don't you tell us what an Italian wake entails, and I can make a call."

Charlie sat down at the table again. He stretched his legs out beneath it and leaned back in his chair. "It's not all that different from an Irish Catholic one, but our Aunt, our grandmother's sister, is still living. She's going to have certain expectations."

"Oh god." Nicole groaned. She covered her eyes with her hand. "I'll write it down for you," she decided.

"Okay," Emily rested her hands atop the table. "We have that covered. What else do you need? We can call hotels around the city, book rooms for your family?"

Nicole considered it. She studied the two of them. She decided that they needed the distraction as much as she did. "I would appreciate that." She reached for her tea glass. "There are some details that Jake will want to handle, but when our stepbrothers get here, they can help him with that. I know you're limited in moving around the city," she said, acknowledging their security detail without bringing it into conversation, "but making some local calls and arrangements would be a huge help."

Charlie looked at his sister. "Sharon wants us to make sure that dad takes his pills. What was she talking about?" He didn't know as much about their dad's health and he figured she would.

"There are two," Nicole explained. "He takes something for his blood pressure and something else for heart rate. Don't nag him about it, it just makes him mad. If you hand him the pills and a bottle of water, he'll take them without arguing. I'll call Lieutenant Provenza and ask him if they thought to get dad's meds out of the condo. I'm sure dad didn't think about it."

"I thought he was doing better?" Ricky frowned at her. "Rusty made it sound like he was over all that." He glanced at his sister.

Emily nodded. "The last time that I talked to Rusty about it, he told me that they had gotten beyond it and everything was going well."

"It is," Nicole told them. "But dad has to take his meds, especially when he's stressed. I think it's more a matter of Sharon worrying about him with everything that's going on than anything to actually do with his heart. Dad doesn't always think about himself, especially when he's focused on other people." Nicole shrugged at them. "Especially when that person happens to be your mom."

Silence had grown around the table again. Charlie didn't realize it at first; he was staring at the centerpiece, wondering why his sister had chosen rocks and wide-petal flowers. When he realized that no one was speaking, he looked up. He found them all staring at him. "What?" His sister arched a brow at him and Charlie rolled his eyes. "When did I become our father's keeper?" He huffed. "Fine. I will make sure that he takes his pills." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Thank you, Charlie." Nicole smiled knowingly at him. There were times when she would almost swear that she was the elder sibling.

"Yeah." He waved her off with a grumble and looked away, slumping in his chair again.

Emily's lips pursed. Her head tilted. "How worried should we be about our brother?" She directed the question at Charlie. "Mom and your dad told us that it's under control. Our police protection just says that we shouldn't worry, they'll get him. I understand that they are trying to keep us calm," she gestured helplessly, "but it's not exactly working."

Charlie thought about what, if anything, that he should tell them. He straightened in his chair and shrugged. He finally decided that if he was sitting on that side of the table, he would want to know. He had a unique perspective, being one of the police that was trying to keep them safe. At the same time, he guessed he was one of them now too. "They're going to use the funeral as a way to draw him out. Your brother is pretty safe for now, and Phillip Stroh has always preferred a _hands-on_ approach to things, so he'll be safe at the service. Rusty is bait," he said plainly. "Dad is worried about it, and I know that your mom is too. I think their main issue is keeping Rusty patient long enough to pull this off. The idea is that Stroh will come out of hiding and follow Rusty back to the safe house. When he tries to move on him there, they'll be able to either capture him, or stop him."

"Just like that?" Ricky frowned. "I thought this guy was supposed to be some kind of super villain?" He glanced around the table before his gaze settled on Charlie again. "He was smart enough to not get caught for years, right? Then he managed to break out of jail, he's even tried to get at Rusty before. If he can do all of that, what makes them think that he's just going to tag along after a fake funeral service and try to get Rusty while he's surrounded by cops?" A frown drew his brows together. "That seems pretty stupid to me."

"Desperation." Charlie explained. "We don't think that it's going to happen immediately. Stroh will follow Rusty back to the safe house, but it will probably take some time before he eventually makes his move. It won't be immediate. They've got it staged out. They will make it look like they are withdrawing police protection, keeping a basic detail in place. Stroh managed to escape from custody in a courthouse surrounded by cops. I don't think he's worried about one small safe house in the middle of the city with a couple of patrol cars parked out front. On top of that, he's going to want to get this done so that he can get out of town again. That's where the desperation comes in to play. Your mom kicked his ass. I figure he wants to get it over with and get the hell out of dodge while he still can."

"What does dad say about it?" Nicole asked quietly. "That might be the plan, but what does he _think_ , Charlie?" She didn't know Rusty well, but she had met him. He was a nice young man who seemed to have overcome a lot. She had even watched his VLOG a couple of times while he was still doing it. She knew that their dad was fond of him, proud of him even.

"He's worried." Charlie sighed. "More worried than I think he wants anyone to know. I had to ask around to get some details, but from what I found out, your little brother is good at slipping his protection." He rested his arms against the table and studied the other two. "Lieutenant Cooper, he's one of the guys helping keep an eye on you, I talked to him about it. He ran the Op a couple of years ago when they used Rusty to flush out another suspect. He said that they had concerns going into it because Rusty managed to get away from his detail a few times. He was stubborn, didn't like to listen. They had to scare the crap out of him to finally get him to pay attention. Later on during the operation, Rusty slipped his surveillance and the guy they were looking for almost managed to get him. Turns out your mom ended up saving him." Charlie lifted his tea glass and took a sip. For once he wished it was something stronger. "Cooper thinks that Rusty has grown up a lot, but he's still Rusty. He's worried that he'll get frustrated and decide to finish this on his own. Dad seems to agree with him, and I think your mom does too. She's talking about wanting to get out of the hospital, go to the safe house and keep an eye on things. Dad has agreed for right now, but he's hoping that her doctors will either not release her or he can change her mind."

"That will never happen." Ricky shook his head. "Mom is pretty stubborn, especially when it comes to her kids."

"So is dad." Nicole told them. "Don't worry, he isn't going to let anything happen to her."

It wasn't really Sharon that she was worried about, however. Ricky met her gaze. "She won't let anything happen to him," he said.

"I should get back." Charlie stretched before he stood. "I'll let you know if I hear anything." He pushed his chair back in and then leaned against it for a moment. "All of this is pretty screwed up. We're all trying to figure it out. Thanks for, you know, coming by and all that. I'm sorry if I was an ass. That was really nice of you."

The Raydor siblings glanced at one another. It was Emily that decided to speak. "We won't pretend to know what you're going through right now. We won't insult you by saying that we can imagine it, because we can't. I don't even know that either of us can say that we know how we would feel if we were in your place because I've never allowed myself to think about it. What I will say is that I am very sorry, Charlie, for your loss. You don't know us and we don't know you, but we are here if you need anything, and maybe between the four of us we can figure out a way to stay sane through all of this."

Charlie made a face at her. His lips twisted into something that might have been a crooked grin. "See, that's your first mistake. You're dealing with Flynns. We don't do sane very well."

Ricky waited until he had gone before he lifted his glass in salute to his new stepsister. "Bless you. There are two of them."

Nicole's face settled into the first genuine smile that she had managed since learning that her mother had been killed. "He refuses to see it, but yes. Charlie is so much like our dad that sometimes it's a little scary. Mom worried he might end up turning out _exactly_ like him. Every time he had a beer with dinner or picked up a glass of wine, she would worry. Charlie is so determined to be everything that our dad isn't he can't see that he is just like him. It has gotten better the last couple of years." She shrugged. "I call it the _Sharon Effect_ and I know that it makes your mom feel a little odd, but honestly, since dad has been with her, his relationship with Charlie has gotten better. I just don't think that either of them can recognize that yet. Dad backed off, he decided to let Charlie come to him, and it's working. They're both just… really hard-headed."

She looked down as her smile faltered. Nicole's eyes closed as moisture filled them. When she looked up again their dark depths had dulled with sadness. "I'm really glad that your mom is okay," she said thickly. "Part of me was really angry at first. Why did it have to be our mom? She didn't have anything to do with Phillip Stroh. I was really mad at my dad for putting her in that position. Like it was his fault, because if he wasn't getting remarried then mom wouldn't have gone by there with the annulment papers, you know? I wanted to hate them both for that. Our mom has been the one person that's always been constant in our lives." Nicole reached up and swept a tear away from her cheek. She shook her head. "I guess you know what that feels like. Then Charlie told me what your mom said, how it all happened, and you know… that's just like our mom. There was no way that she was going to run. She was always a fighter. This whole thing is never going to make sense to me, but I'm glad that she was fighting. As much as it hurts, as much as part of me wishes that my mom was still here, I am truly thankful that Sharon is okay. I don't know what we would do if we had lost them both."

Ricky got out of his chair. He moved around the table and sat down closer to Nicole. "I'm sorry this is happening," he told her, "I wish that it had ended differently. I know mom does too. I'm sure she will tell you that when she can."

"I feel terrible because I haven't been to see her," Nicole admitted. She wiped away another tear. "She has been really great to us. I'm just worried that I will break down and I know that she and dad don't need that right now. Charlie doesn't know her; he isn't going to be emotional with her right now, so I'm letting him be there for both of us. I just feel like I'm being such a bad stepdaughter. I wanted this for them so much, and _this_ is how it's starting…"

"Don't be." Emily leaned against the table. "Trust me, mom understands. I think you're right to stay away, and maybe that sounds terrible, but as someone who is really worried about her mother… I know that mom would focus entirely on you, and that really isn't good for her right now."

"God." Nicole ran her hands over her face and into her hair. "We are a mess, aren't we? Look at us."

"Not a mess," Ricky told her. "We're just coping. It's all we can do."

"How about we start working on those lists?" Emily smiled gently at her. She decided that if they could keep their minds focused, that might help. "I suggest that we order something to eat and open a bottle of wine while we're at it."

Nicole took a moment to wipe her cheeks again before she nodded. "I think you're right. Let's take care of that. I'll just let Dean know to keep an eye on the boys." She pushed out of her chair. She considered her guests for a moment before she turned away. It was awkward, but she was glad that they had come by. Her friends and cousins could be sympathetic, and Dean was doing everything that he could to be what she needed, but she supposed that the only people that would really understand were the strangers that were sitting on her patio. She would accept their presence and their help. Even if, truthfully, at the moment, she just wanted her dad.

 **-TBC-**

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 **A/N:** This is written all the way through chapter 14, although I'm not finished yet. I am simply finding it difficult to get time to edit and post. My apologies for the long delays, and thank you so much to everyone who has continued to stick with it! You all rock!


	11. Chapter 11

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

They waited another two days before Sharon was transferred from the ICU to police protective custody. Her primary physician, Doctor Mendez, argued against her release, but after three days in the hospital with no set back, the Commander was insistent that her recovery could continue elsewhere.

Andy hoped that they would get some push back on her release from higher up the chain of command. To his dismay, Assistant Chief Mason agreed. It would be easier for the department to condense resources and focus on the search for Phillip Stroh if those that they were protecting were in a single location. Having Sharon and Rusty at the same safe house was an advantage for the department and the investigation, so plans were made to safely deliver the Commander to her temporary sanctuary. He expected that to be the outcome of her request, but he was disappointed about it anyway.

He accompanied her to the parking garage, where a nondescript SUV was waiting to carry her away. Andy didn't bother hiding his displeasure with Sharon's decision to leave the hospital. He would have felt a lot better knowing that she was still being monitored there. Sharon's discharge orders called for several medications for pain and antibiotics, a very specific and bland diet, and a reminder to keep her physical activity to a strict minimum. It was with that in mind that Andy gently helped Sharon out of the wheelchair that the hospital staff had insisted she leave the building in.

Once she was on her feet beside the SUV, he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I still don't like it," he grumbled.

"I know." Sharon smoothed her hands down his shirt and busied herself for a moment with adjusting his tie. He hadn't worn a tie in days, but he was going back to work today. Andy couldn't go with her. That, she knew, was his biggest reason for being unhappy about her release. For the pretense of her death to continue, the grieving widower would need to be seen. He could not go in to hiding with her, no matter how much the two of them would have preferred it otherwise. "It's going to be okay," she promised him.

"Yeah?" He huffed at her. "Somehow, I'm just not convinced." She was pale and weak, and barely able to move at all without a good deal of pain. She wasn't going to be a lot of help to Rusty, but there was no telling her otherwise. Sharon was determined to join him, if for no other reason than to keep him calm and cooperative. His job was to keep an eye on her other two kids, and to find Stroh in the process. "I know that you can take care of yourself, but you're not exactly in fighting form at the moment."

"That's what I will have Julio for." Sharon cupped his cheek and tipped her face up to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Stop being a macho pig. It's not going to win you any points with the wife _or_ the boss."

"I'm going to remember that the next time you're hovering over me," he told her. Andy held her close, and embraced her as tightly as he dared. He turned his face into her hair. "Be careful," he whispered.

"Stop worrying," she said. "I've already had my shot at Stroh. I'll let someone else play the hero." Sharon leaned back, but only to cup his face in both of her hands. Her shoulder ached; it was still stiff and her full range of motion had not yet returned. She ignored all that, however. "You try to stay out of trouble. You're worse than I am. No moving vehicles. I don't care who is driving it."

"Cute, very cute, Sharon." When she only hummed at him in amusement, Andy lowered his head and captured her mouth in a quick kiss. One of his hands splayed across her lower back while the other moved upward to cup the back of her head. The kiss deepened, and it was only the polite clearing of a throat from inside the SUV that had him breaking it. Andy lifted his wife and settled her carefully in the back of the vehicle before he stepped away. "I'll see you soon."

She laid a hand against his chest before he moved completely out of reach. "Soon," she repeated. There was more that she would like to say, but not with witnesses. When he nodded, she knew that he understood. Sharon smiled again and pressed her fingers to her lips. When she turned her attention away from him, she found Julio waiting patiently behind the steering wheel. "Detective."

"Ma'am." He turned around and waited for the passenger door to be closed. There was another plain-clothes officer in the front beside him. "It's good to see you."

There was enough relief in his tone to have her smile softening. "Thank you, Detective." Sharon glanced out her window and exhaled quietly. Andy had backed away from the vehicle and was waiting for them to leave. "Okay gentlemen, let's go."

Andy stood rooted to his spot even after the SUV had pulled away. His hands were tucked into his pockets. He stared at the pavement where the vehicle was previously parked and sighed. He would like to feel more confident about things, but that was a state that was completely eluding him. There was movement beside him and he glanced over to see his son smirking at him. There was something in the younger man's look that was entirely too familiar. He could feel his hackles rising in response. "What?"

"Nothing." Charlie rocked back on his heels. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "That was just… really hot, that's all." Giving his dad a hard time came as second nature to him. Having a purpose to being able to poke at him was just an added bonus.

"Oh good God. Just stow it." Andy rolled his eyes as he turned. He shook his head and huffed in exasperation. He strode back toward the third floor hospital entrance.

"No, really." Charlie turned on his heel and followed him. He strolled at a more sedate pace, but his long-legged stride helped him easily keep up. "I think even _my_ toes were curling by the end. I never knew you had it in ya, old man."

Andy shot a glare at him. "Really?" His lip curled. "Cut it out, okay? I'm not in the mood for this crap. Let's just get back downstairs and head over to the PAB so we can get caught up on everything."

"What crap?" Charlie continued to smirk. "My hand to God, man. That was like, the hottest thing that I've seen since the time about three months ago that my team beat down a door, and the guy we were looking for had old people porn playing."

He stopped walking and turned. Andy fixed his son with a dark scowl. "Is there some reason that you're trying to piss me off? _Old people_ porn? Really? Are you naturally this obnoxious or are you just trying harder because it's me?"

Charlie edged around him. There was a crooked grin playing at his lips. It didn't reach his eyes, but then very little amused him these days. "Nicole wanted me to make sure that I kept you distracted from worrying about Sharon. You're distracted with wanting to kick my ass. I think my work is done for the time being."

Andy turned as his son walked by. His eyes narrowed as he watched him walk away. "Dammit," he muttered, "I miss Provenza." He stood there for a minute, jaw clenched and teeth grinding together before he followed. Charlie was waiting for him at the elevator bank. There was a smug look on his face. Andy stepped past him into the car. "Shut up," he muttered.

 **MCMCMCMCMCMC**

The windows of the SUV were tinted and gave the city a much darker view than Sharon was accustomed to or preferred. It was still early, but it was looking as though it was going to be a bright, clear day. The dreariness that the tinted windows cast over the day fit her mood, however. She was silent as they moved across town, and only half listened to the conversation that was happening in the front seat between Detective Sanchez and the officer that had accompanied him.

The scenery began to change a little as they got farther from the hills. Downtown loomed closer, with traffic getting thicker as the morning rush hour grew. They veered a little toward the west and Sharon's brows climbed when she recognized the familiar structure of Dodger Stadium in the distance. "Echo Park?"

Julio glanced back at her. The Commander had been pretty silent for the last forty-five minutes, not surprising considering what she had been through. "Yes ma'am. The place we're staying isn't too bad. It was seized last year in a drug raid." He tossed a grin at her. "The city didn't do a half bad job plastering over the bullet holes in the walls."

Sharon gave him a bland look and shook her head. "I didn't realize we would be staying in such a heavily residential area," she commented. The neighborhood was familiar to her, for a couple of reasons. She had raised her children there. She and Jack had bought the house when Emily was two, before she had gotten pregnant with Ricky. It had needed a good deal of remodeling, but they were a young couple just starting and hadn't minded the work. Sharon had finished most of it on her own after Jack left, contracting out the smaller tasks that she couldn't complete by herself. Selling the house had been a difficult decision, but when Ricky had moved out the dorm at Stanford and into an apartment of his own, basically declaring that he would be staying in the Bay Area, Sharon had decided that the old three-bedroom, split-level ranch was just too big for one person.

Then last summer when she and Andy began looking at houses together, they had looked at a few in the Echo Park neighborhood. There was one that they were very interested in, enough so that they had discussed making an offer on it. A number of factors had derailed that decision. His heart attack was at the top of the list. Andy had balked at the idea of investing in a new home, and then possibly leaving Sharon with that expense if something happened to him or he was forced into retirement. With the race for Assistant Chief, they had both acknowledged the reality that her job also had a giant question mark hovering above it. They had changed their plans, chosen to remain in the condo.

It was something that Andy was not entirely comfortable with. Sharon had realized that very quickly. She waited for him to come to her, however. When he posed the idea of using the money that he gained from the sell of his house to pay off her mortgage, she had agreed it to it.

Initially, when Sharon bought the condo, it was hers and hers alone. She had liked the idea that Jack would have no financial ties to it. That investment was safe from any of his gambling debts or shadier activities, and she would never need his permission to sell it, as she had with the house because his name was still on the deed.

With Andy it was different. A year ago the idea of handing over that piece of her independence would have stopped her cold. She'd have dug in her heels and not budged on the idea, at least not without a considerable amount of thought and discussion to arrive at the same conclusion that she had already come to prior to Andy's suggestion. They had already made the decision to sell both of their homes and purchase a joint residence. Sharon had already made up her mind that she was going to spend the rest of her life with that man, even if marriage was not on the immediate horizon at the time. Then there was the fact that the future was so very uncertain. What if something happened to _her_? Andy wouldn't have any legal rights to the home that he was living in, even if Sharon was reasonably certain that her children would make sure that it went to him. There would still be probate and inheritance taxes to be paid. Sharon didn't want that for him, and she didn't want it for Rusty either. Putting Andy's name on the deed was only the right thing to do, and she had known when the idea crossed her mind that he wouldn't allow her to do that without his being able to invest in the property.

So she waited. Andy came to her, as she knew that he would, and they took care of that bit of financial business. They had also opened a joint account, for the household expenses and all of the other little things that came about when one shared their life with a partner. They still had their personal accounts, of course, but the household account was available for both of them and they both contributed equally to it.

They had both updated their power of attorney and changed their wills, something that Sharon was reminded that they would need to do again now that they were married. It was all a lot of legality and paperwork, but choosing to spend the rest of your life with another person was not to be taken lightly.

Sharon thought of all of that as the SUV moved through the streets and lanes of Echo Park. She wondered, rather absently, if any of the houses they had looked at were still available. She couldn't imagine going back to the condo now. The idea of it sent a chill down her spine and had dread churning bitterly in her stomach. She closed her eyes and turned her face away from the window.

She tried to think of happier things. Like teaching Ricky to ride his bicycle on the street that they had just passed, or quiet evenings strolling with Emily as they walked Old Baxter, the family's German Shepherd, around the neighborhood. Sharon had gotten the dog on a whim for the kids after a particularly glum holiday season and even worse seventh birthday for Ricky. Jack had left them again and the kids were having a rough time of it. The young pup had brightened their spirits considerably. He was well trained and a good companion for both of them.

Those happy thoughts didn't last long, however. Sharon was reminded that Baxter passing away was the final straw when it came to her decision to sell the house. Once the kids moved out, it didn't seem so bad, cohabitating with the family dog. Then he was gone, and it was just her, alone in a house that was entirely too silent. That took her thoughts down a road of wondering what it would be like to be alone again, with no Rusty and no Andy to fill her off-duty hours with noise, chaos, and love. How had she come to this point? She was good alone. Certainly she went through an adjustment period after her elder two children left home, what parent didn't?

She had to find herself, the woman that she was without children to nurture and parent daily. It didn't take long. She had friends and hobbies, and things that she quite enjoyed doing now that she had the time. Sharon didn't _feel_ lonely on her own. She was perfectly content.

Then Rusty had come in to her life. He needed her, more than he realized at first. She came to care for him very quickly, and while it required some adjustment again, Sharon did not mind the chaos and activity that he brought into her home. She also never thought of herself as needing a partner in her life, or particularly wanting one either. Jack breezed into her life when it was convenient for him, and she allowed him to linger when it amused her to do so, at least until that was well and truly over with.

She never expected Andy. A relationship was the last thing that she thought that she would want at this point in her life. But there he was, sneaking in to her heart when she least expected it. He was a happy bachelor for almost thirty years, an alcoholic in recovery for twenty of those years. It was a relationship that had every reason to fail, but was flourishing instead. She was happy with him. They were polar opposites in so many ways, but alike in others. It worked, oddly enough, and quite well at that. They found their way with more ease than Sharon ever imagined. They were able to compliment one another, rather than stifle and appease. He was patient, when she needed him to be, and knew exactly when the right moment to press her had arrived. He wanted to take care of her, it was that boring machoism, as she called it, but tempered by the fact that it came from a place of genuine caring. Like when he insisted on opening her car door for her every time he drove them somewhere, or pushing the shopping cart when they were at the grocery store. He was always pulling out her chair for her, and that was such second nature to him that if they were seated next to one another in RACR or electronics, he would reach out and hold her chair as she stood too. Then there were the things that he did that she found touching and sweet, like bringing her breakfast in bed when they were finally able to sleep in after a long case, or getting her flowers, for no other reason than daisies always made her smile. He also made her laugh. They had a good deal of fun together.

She worried they would lose that, the fun, when they began seeing each other romantically. They were good companions even before their relationship progressed. Very good friends, as they had said on many occasions, but then as the romance grew and developed, that friendship only became stronger. Their relationship was not the all encompassing, passionate love that they had both experienced in their youths. It had grown slowly, and while there was definitely passion, there was a good amount of comfort and understanding between them too. Yes, she did love that man to distraction at times, but she could also be herself with him. She could be silly, she could nag, she could be sad or upset, or just downright moody and he would still love her for it. Likewise, he was a grumpy sort when he wanted to be left alone, and a bit of a child about other things, particularly if he was excited about something. He was also well read and incredibly intelligent, something that had surprised her when she first began to know him better. Andy didn't seem the type, but she soon learned that a bachelor that had little contact with his family, a job with unpredictable hours, and a sobriety that kept him from barhopping with his pals, spent his alone time with books and hobbies that would quiet his mind and help him ignore his doubts or darker thoughts.

He would accompany her to art galleries and museums; some he would enjoy, and others would bore him, but he didn't complain. He absolutely hated the opera, but he had taken her for her birthday, because she enjoyed it. They both enjoyed sports, baseball and football, long walks and it went without saying that a man who dressed as Andy did liked to shop.

Sharon sighed quietly. She was already missing him. Being alone again wouldn't be easy to adjust to. She might not _need_ a partner in her life, but she _wanted_ this one. She didn't like this separation anymore than he did, and she was worried about him. Sharon attempted to push down her melancholy as the SUV slowed and finally pulled into the driveway of a stone and stucco house. While she waited, the garage opened and the SUV rolled smoothly inside and game to a gentle stop.

Julio pressed another button on the control in his hand and the garage door began to close behind them. It was not until it was fully lowered that a door leading into the house opened. Two officers stepped into the garage. Sharon recognized one of them as Officer Stuart. The other was unknown to her. She was a young, female officer with dark hair twisted into braid. They both stepped into the garage and walked around the vehicle. They made sure that it was secure and the occupants known to them before Julio opened his door and slipped out of the vehicle.

Sharon couldn't hear what he said to the other two but he came around and opened her door as Stuart went back into the house. She grimaced as she removed her seatbelt and turned toward him. As she held out her arm, Sharon offered him a sheepish smile. "Detective, I'm afraid that you and I are about to become very good friends."

Julio grinned crookedly at her. "I won't tell if you don't, ma'am." He slipped under her arm and lifted her carefully out of the SUV. Julio set her back on her feet a couple of steps away from the truck and waited until he was sure that she was steady before he took her arm and guided her toward the door. "You know," he muttered quietly, "it was my bean bag. He stole it."

Sharon groaned when her body tensed, the precursor to the laugh that she tried hard to suppress. She rolled her eyes at the detective. "You're all obsessed with that thing. I'm glad it's gone."

"Who said it's gone?" Julio's dark eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh god." She shook her head at him. If Andy ever found out there would be no dealing with him. "You're both terrible," she decided, because she knew that Julio enjoyed poking at him, and Andy always took the bait.

"Yes ma'am." By the time they had reached the step and the door that would take them into the house, the other officers had joined them. Sergeant Garza was on loan to them from SOB, and he had already introduced him in the truck earlier. The sergeant had gathered the Commander's bags from the back of the truck. The other officer, Julio introduced now. "Commander Raydor, this is Officer Rachel Jordan. She's a member of Lieutenant Cooper's SIS team. She was a Marine medic. Coop and his team like to call her Doc. She's going to be monitoring your recovery and helping you in any way that you need." When it became apparent that Lieutenant Flynn wouldn't be able to join her at the safe house, and that the Commander would need some kind of assistance given her current condition, Cooper and Amy had suggested Doc. She was a good cop, but her medic training would be a bonus this time. She was also discreet and had the kind of quiet manner that they all knew would put the Commander at ease.

"Commander." Rachel nodded at her. "Lieutenant Flynn sent me a copy of your discharge orders. He said that you wouldn't mind if I was briefed before you arrived. I think that it's important that you know that I'm just a medic. I'm not a nurse or a doctor. I can assist, and I can help you monitor your medications and your recovery, but if you start to feel sick or if we can't manage your pain, then we will need to contact your doctor or return you to the hospital." They all knew Raydor by reputation, although Rachel had never met the woman. She took a breath before continuing. "I'm also here as part of your protection detail. I understand rank, and I respect it, but as of now you're in my care. Your safety is my priority, so I need to know that you understand that there may come a point when I will be the one giving orders."

Sharon's brow arched. She drew herself up a little straighter, so that she was not leaning on her detective quite so heavily. She met the younger woman's gaze, and when the other officer did not flinch or back down, Sharon nodded once. "Yes, Officer Jordan. I am well aware that we may find ourselves in that situation. I fully appreciate the position that you are in right now, and I can assure you, if that moment comes you will have my full cooperation." Sharon held up a hand before continuing. "With only one exception. Rusty goes first. If there is a choice between myself and my son, your orders are to secure my son. Are we clear?"

The younger woman glanced at Julio, who nodded his own understanding of that exception, before she returned her attention to the Commander. "Yes ma'am. We thought that might be the case. With all due respect, we intend to keep you both safe." She turned to Sergeant Garza and accepted one of the bags from him.

Sharon's lips pursed as the two younger officers made their way into the house ahead of them. She turned to Julio with her brows raised and tilted her head at him. "She's with Lieutenant Cooper's SIS Team?" The commander hummed. "We will see about that."

The detective grinned. The Commander's eyes were sparkling. There was an air of admiration about her. The young officer had impressed her. "Coop is going to get a complex if you keep stealing all of his best people." They had taken Sykes out of SIS too, and that had worked out very well for the team.

"Hm." Sharon shrugged her good shoulder. "He will get over it. Maybe he should stop sending me the good ones." She turned and regarded the step. She sighed. This was going to hurt. Her heel was already throbbing from standing on it, and that was nothing at all compared to how badly the rest of her was hurting. "Well, I think we've put it off long enough. Shall we?"

"Yes ma'am." Sanchez grew serious. He placed one arm around her and took her elbow in his other hand. As they moved, he was careful to support the majority of her weight. "You know," he said, rather casually, "I think maybe we've managed to confuse Jordan. I thought you were supposed to go first?"

"You're being especially cheeky today," she pointed out. Sharon grimaced as they took another step up and finally moved into the small hallway. "Can I assume that Andy asked you to try and help keep my mind off things?"

"I haven't really talked to Lieutenant Flynn," Julio told her, "but I did talk to Lieutenant Provenza." He guided her down the short hallway and into the kitchen. "He told me that if you wanted to be a Flynn, I should treat you like one."

Sharon groaned again. "Detective, do us both a favor. Let the Lieutenant do his own dirty work." From the kitchen they walked through a large dining room and into an open living room with a high ceiling. There were doors along one wall that she could only assume opened into a backyard, but heavy drapes covered them. Blinds and drapes were drawn in every room. It gave the house a much darker appearance than she would have liked. Sharon always preferred natural light. As her gaze circled the room, she spotted another hall, but Julio took her to the sofa, a soft, plush, suede sectional that looked incredibly inviting.

"Mom!" Rusty walked quickly into the room before she could sit down. He came to an abrupt stop in front of her and hesitated. His eyes widened as he got his first good look at her in days. "This was a bad idea," he blurted. "You shouldn't be here. You look terrible."

Her lips twisted into a wry smile. "Thank you, Rusty. It's good to see you too." Sharon moved away from Julio and held out her arms for him. "I'm fine you know."

Rusty hesitated again before stepping into the offered embrace. His arms circled her, but he was afraid to touch her. "No you're not. Nothing is fine right now. You almost died."

"But I didn't." She could feel his fear, the way it trembled through him. This wasn't one of his melodramatic fits, but rather her son at his most vulnerable. Sharon held him as tightly as she was able. "I'm still here, Rusty, and so are you." She swayed with him, but it was a result of her strength beginning to fade. Sharon leaned back but cupped his face in her hands. "It's okay to be scared. It's okay to be upset," she said thickly, "but this is not how this story ends. Phillip Stroh does not get to win. That isn't why the two of us are here, okay?"

"Okay." Rusty reached up to circle her wrists with his hands. He nodded at her and managed a small smile. "I'm really glad that you're here, but I wasn't kidding. You look terrible."

Sharon made a face at him. "Well, I feel it," she said drily. She tilted her head toward the sofa. "Help me sit down?"

"Um. Sure." Rusty looked a little worried for a moment, but he took one side and Julio took the other. Together they got her lowered onto the sofa and settled so that she was seated sideways with her legs stretched out in front of her. Rusty took one of the thick throw pillows and slipped it between her back and the arm of the sofa so that she was more comfortable. "Can we get you something?"

"How about a blanket," she told him. "I'm down now, and I don't intend to move again for a while." Sharon offered him a smile. Rusty was hovering and still looked way too worried about her. She reached up and gripped his hand. "I'm okay," she said again. "All of my meds are in my bag. Officer Jordan and Sergeant Garza have them. Why don't you go find them and take my bags to whichever room that I am going to be staying in? You can bring me the bottle of Vicodin, a blanket, and a bottle of water and then we will get all caught up." She knew from experience that giving him something to do would help him to expend some of that energy.

"Uh. Sure. Right." Rusty looked around and then nodded. "Pills, blanket, and water. I can do that."

As he left to complete that task, Sharon looked up at Julio who was still hovering nearby. " _That_ is exactly why I am here."

Julio walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "He hasn't been too bad," he explained, "but yeah. It was starting to get a little… rough. He's not sleeping well," Sanchez told her. "I don't know if he's having nightmares or if he's just restless, but we can hear him moving around at night. The first couple of nights he got up and walked around the house. Perez almost took his head off. Since then, Rusty stays in his room. He paces until he's tired and then he sleeps for a little while. He's always up early, though, so I don't think he's really sleeping more than a couple of hours a time. I know that part of it was because he's worried about you and the others, but Rusty really has just two main modes. Self involved and Panic." When her eyes narrowed, Julio shrugged. "He's gotten better over the years, but those are his two extremes. You know how it is."

Sharon sighed. She supposed that she couldn't exactly argue that point. He was right. Rusty's primary operating state was usually set to one or the other, or some medium in between. It was a product of his past and all of the emotional issues that he was still working through. He had gotten better, however. He was trying harder. Most of the time he even managed to think before he acted. She was proud of him, but Sharon would be lying if she said that he didn't have a long way to go still. It was part of the reason that she worried about his relationship with Gus. She was still certain they had found each other far too soon.

"The memorial is tomorrow," Sharon said quietly. "Let's see if I can get him calmed down between now and then." The event was being described as a small private service, requested by the family, while the LAPD's investigation into her murder continued. The upper brass would only allow their operation to go so far, and no mention of Phillip Stroh had been made to the press, although Sharon was certain that would be leaked sooner or later. The point was to get Rusty out and about, and seen. They might need more than one outing, of that everyone was aware, and it might take weeks for Stroh to finally make an appearance, but they were all committed to seeing the operation through to its end.

When Rusty returned, just a few moments later, Julio stood up and moved out of the living room to give the two some privacy. Stuart had gone to check the perimeter around the house. They had five officers staying in the house, responsible for the Commander and her son, and the immediate premises. There was an unmarked car with two others parked down the street, and a second car that patrolled the neighborhood. It was all the personnel that could be spared, aside from those that were working the investigation to find Stroh.

Sharon knew that the officers present were doing their very best to seem unobtrusive, and despite the fact that this was not her own personal space, she did not feel overly crowded. She smiled as Rusty approached, carrying a thick fleece blanket and a bottle of water. He covered her with the blanket before handing her the bottle, and then her pills. Sharon gave the cushion a pat, and urged him to sit down beside her legs. When he had, and she had taken her pain medication, she tilted her head. Sharon gave him a long, speculative look, and when he began to squirm a bit under her gaze, she said, "Okay buster, why don't you tell me what's been keeping you up at night…"

 **-TBC-**


	12. Chapter 12

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

A fake memorial service and an outdoor reception at a restaurant in North Hollywood had taken up most of the day. It was surprising just how exhausting that it could be, pretending to grieve. Or maybe it wasn't pretend at all; maybe it was a rehearsal for what was still to come. Charlie wasn't entirely sure. What he did know was that he had completely had it with the day. He was ready for it to end so he could forget about it, or he could work on forgetting about it before it ended. Either worked for him, honestly.

He thought about that as he sat on the patio behind his sister's house. Ice clinked in his glass as he lifted it toward his lips. Sunset had already come and gone. The sky was that shade of grayish indigo that followed, well after the scarlet and gold had faded and the temperature had started to cool. Somewhere inside the house Nicole was putting the kids down. He had come by for dinner, ostensibly because she asked, but he also wanted to check on her. Charlie was looking for a change of scenery, he wasn't ready to go home yet, but didn't want to be around people anymore either.

Over the past few days he had definitely had his fill of people, be them cops, doctors, or family members. He wanted the quiet, the cold, and the tang of the gin and tonic in his glass. Charlie felt his jaw clench and the muscles in his back tense as the patio door opened and someone else stepped out into the evening. He didn't have to look over. He had gotten really used to this particular presence in his life the last several days. They had spent more time together in four days than in the last four months. Charlie lifted his glass again and attempted to ignore him.

Andy lowered himself onto the wooden deck chair beside his son and slumped in it. He stretched his legs out and regarded the glowing embers from the fire pit. Dean had lit it after dinner, so that they could enjoy dessert on the patio. Andy studied it for another moment before he slanted a look at his son. He was only able to speak to Nicole briefly between the memorial and the reception. He was worried about her with everything that was going on. She was putting on a good show of being there for her new step-siblings, but he thought they were all asking too much of her.

"That isn't going to make you feel better," he said. It would do the exact opposite. It would numb everything, but the feelings would still be there, and they usually came back even stronger than before, along with a lot of regret and self-loathing.

Charlie lowered his glass. He swallowed slowly, enjoyed the after taste on his tongue. It swiped across his lower lip. He balanced his glass on the arm of his chair and turned it. It was almost empty. He took a moment to decide that yes, he was feeling particularly annoyed. His lip curled and he glanced toward his father. "Well, you would know," he fired back.

It was inevitable, really, that the usual bitterness and disappointment that his son regarded him with would begin to seep back in. The only problem was that Andy wasn't in any mood to put up with it. He nodded once. "Yeah, I do. That's why I don't have one in my hand, but you do what you want."

"Already am." Charlie sneered at him. "That's something else that I learned from you. Do what you want and the hell with everyone around you." He lifted his glass in salute. "You were an excellent role model. I know how to make all the best mistakes, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sit right here and do that."

Andy leaned forward in his chair. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah, okay. Tell you what, you go right ahead and do that, and when you get tired of being an asshole, maybe you can come back in and rejoin the rest of the family." He stood up, smoothed down his tie. "Just don't take too long, people tend to not let you forget it."

The bark of laughter that came from Charlie was harsh and filled with resentment. "Forget it? You're actually gonna stand there and compare me wanting to get the hell away from everyone for a little while to the fact that you couldn't drag yourself out of a bottle long enough to remember that you had a wife and kids waiting on you at home? We all paid the price for the fact that you weren't ready to man up and be an adult, and you're gonna lecture me?" Charlie put the glass on a table beside his chair and stood up. He pointed a finger at his father. "Who are you to tell anyone how they need to act?" His lip curled. "We wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for you."

And there they were. This was the derision that he was used to. It was time for the blame and the anger, and to make sure that he was reminded of all of his mistakes. Andy placed his hands on his hips and braced himself. He was reminded of what Sharon had told him, that there came a point when he had to stop apologizing and just live his life. Now was not that moment, he decided. Instead, he fixed his son with a cool look. "Yeah? How do you figure?"

"Maybe," Charlie took a step forward, "if you had bothered to think about someone other than yourself all those years, none of this would be happening. It wasn't enough, was it? You didn't just blow her life apart; you completely screwed everything up for the rest of us too. Now you have the balls to stand there and tell me that I shouldn't pick up a drink to try and make some of this day a little less shitty? How full of yourself are you? If you weren't so determined to prove that you weren't an asshole then maybe we all wouldn't be running around town pretending to grieve for a woman that's not even dead and planning a real funeral for the one who is. You fucked up one family, and that wasn't enough, so you decided to go out and get another one. The worst part is, we all actually fell for it. Mom was only there because of you. She was perfectly happy avoiding you as much as possible, but oh no, you had to play the reformed family guy. She wanted to believe you so much that it got her killed. If that wasn't bad enough," he swung his arm toward the interior of the house, "Nikki is making herself sick running all over town taking care of everything, including your new family, when she should be taking care of herself, but she won't listen to anything that anyone tells her, because she's got in her head that she's got to do this for you, because god forbid she lose you too, and that's the biggest crock of all this."

A brow arched. Andy waited for a minute, but there didn't seem to be anymore forthcoming, at least for now. Charlie was standing in front of him, face flushed, hands fisted at his sides, and chest heaving. He wasn't sure if it was a good show of his temper, Vicki's, or some combination of the two. Rather than dwell too much on that, he scratched his thumb across his forehead. He'd had his share of arguments with the kids and Vicki over the years. He had listened to all of his shortcomings, recounted all of his mistakes, and countered when he could. There had come a point, though, when it just got easier to listen to it. He knew what he had done wrong. There were some things that he would never be able to fix, could never make up for. This time, though, Andy knew that it had nothing to do with him and a lot to do with how his son was feeling at the moment. His outburst was fueled by grief and anger, and a sense of helplessness that nothing would be able to resolve. Not until the horror was over, not until they could all begin to heal and rebuild their lives. Andy took just a second to give himself props because not too long ago, he would have blown up in reaction, gotten defensive and not recognized Charlie's outburst for what it was. "Better?" He asked.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and into his hair. Charlie exhaled a loud sigh. "Not really, no." He shook his head. He walked away, toward the edge of the patio and stared out at the yard. He could see lights glittering in the hills beyond. "I really hate you right now." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He had gone home to change before dinner. Charlie was wondering if maybe he should have just stayed at home, but Nicole wanted him over for dinner, so there he was. "Mom was the only one we had for a long time. She was always there for us, no matter what it was. It's not fair. You haven't lost a damned thing, but the rest of us have to live with the fact that she's gone."

"Is that really what you think?" Andy walked across the patio and stood in front of the fire pit. He stared into the ash and embers. His grief was bitter. It burned his throat. He ground his teeth together and fought the surge of anger that built inside of him. "Your mom and I fought a lot, yeah, but why do you think that is?" He lifted his head and looked out over the night. "I met Vicki when we were kids. I played ball with her brothers, but she wasn't much younger than us. We let her hang around. Your ma had a mean fastball, and we could tell when she was pissed at us about something. I told my pop that I got those bruises playing ball, but I never told him that it was a girl that did it. We started going out after she turned sixteen. Her brother, your uncle Tommy, kicked my ass when he found out that I stopped letting her help me work on my car and started riding her around in it instead."

Andy smiled at the memory, but it faded quickly. "We got married because… what else were we going to do? I only got to see her during the summer after her folks moved, and after she graduated from school, she wasn't going to be coming out to see her grandmother as much. Back then, the idea of us not being together anymore; separated by all those miles, it was like the world was ending. Hell, we were still just kids. I figured if I stuck around the old neighborhood, I'd end up in jail like my cousin, or barely scraping out a living like my old man. Vicki didn't want to live there either, so we got married and we came out here to be near her family. It wasn't supposed to be that hard, but we didn't know a damned thing. We should've waited. We had you kids when we did because other people thought we should, and it didn't seem like a bad idea. I know that I was to blame for what fell apart, but it wasn't all bad. She was so mad at me because of how long we knew each other, because she expected better. She knew that I could give her better. I wasn't raised to be like that, and yeah, you're right, if I had manned up and done a better job, our lives wouldn't have turned out like they did."

He looked over his shoulder at his son. "It's not fair. None of it is. I would rather it be me. The fighting wasn't because we didn't give a damn. Your mother was in that condo because she thought that I'd finally earned a second chance, and she was giving me that by going along with the annulment. Vicki deserved a hell of a lot better than what she got, but don't ever stand there and tell me that I didn't lose anything because she died that day and Sharon didn't. I met your mother when she was a girl, barely tall enough to reach my knee now, and still missing her two front teeth. You and your sister lost your mother, and Jake lost his wife. We all lost something."

He didn't wait for Charlie to respond. Andy turned his attention back to staring out at the night. Relationships didn't just start and then stop, with no repercussions or left over feelings, especially a marriage that had produced two children and helped define the man that he had become. He messed up, got married too soon, had kids too soon, and when he couldn't cope with all that, he crawled into a bottle. It took a long time for him to climb his way out of it again. Even after he got sober, it wasn't like he was immediately aware of all of his mistakes and how to live his life without making them again, or losing his sobriety. That was why it was a process. Andy was serious about working his program.

He had taken his time with all of that, and every time he wanted to see the kids and Vicki denied him, he wanted to blame her for it. He got angry and focused it on her. The bitch ex-wife that wouldn't stop making him relive all of his mistakes. He tried to blame Jake, the new husband that was taking his place. In the end, he didn't have anyone to blame but himself. Vicki was right to turn him away. He had to figure it all out for himself before they could inflict it on the kids. She let him see them when _they_ needed it, not when he wanted it. By the time Andy had his head on straight, their kids had to figure out what kind of relationship they wanted to have with him. He was there, waiting, that was all that he could do.

They had started going to family counseling after Nicole's wedding and all of the arguing that had gone on during the planning. That was really when things started getting a little better between them. He and Nicole began getting closer, and Vicki began to relax a little since he was willing to dance to that particular tune. It had taken a lot longer for Charlie, but he expected that. His son was as stubborn as he was, and he wanted him to come to his own conclusions in his own time… not when others pushed those ideas upon him.

Andy knew that he could be pretty slow on the uptake about a lot of things. He knew he was an idiot when it came to most of the relationships in his life. He was a macho asshole about a lot of stuff too. He didn't know how the hell Sharon put up with him most of the time, but she did. He wasn't so stupid, though, not to realize that he owed a lot of what he was enjoying in his life currently to Vicki and how hard she had been on him all of those years. If she hadn't made him work so hard for the relationships that he had with her and his kids, he didn't think he would appreciate it as much as he did. He got sober for himself, and he stayed that way for himself too, but he also did it for the people in his life that he loved, the ones that counted on him. If she hadn't dragged him along to family counseling with the kids a few years ago, he might not have gotten his head out of his ass enough to realize that he was too damned old to be chasing after younger women. That it was a real, grown-up relationship that he wanted. He wouldn't have been in the right place to understand that Sharon wasn't the kind of woman that he could pursue until he caught her. He had to wait for her to be ready. He wouldn't have been friends with her first, and really, that was where they began.

It was because of the relationship that he had with his ex-wife that Andy understood a lot of things that would have gone right over his head before. Like how Sharon could be married to Jack for all those years, with all the crap that he pulled, and still be hurt by divorcing him. He got how she could still feel enough to be disappointed by his behavior. He could accept that they would be connected through their kids for the rest of their lives. That relationship had helped define the woman that she became, the woman that he was in love with.

If it hadn't been for Vicki, none of that would have ever occurred to him. She was still a part of his life, long after they were divorced. She had accepted who he was, not when he wanted her to, but at a time when he needed her to. It had taken most of his lifetime to get to that point, but the important part was that he had. That woman had birthed and raised his kids, protected them from his mistakes as best she could, shaped them into the people they were today, and then helped him build relationships with them, even when he couldn't see it.

Andy felt a hand on his back and jumped slightly, a little startled at it. He glanced behind him and smiled when he saw Nicole standing there, eyes sad and a little moist. He tugged his hand out of his pocket and lifted his arm. "Hey kid." When she slipped under his arm to lean against his side, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

They hadn't had a lot of time to really talk yet, but Nicole was taking a lot of comfort from the fact that he was there. She knew there was a lot going on. She hated that he felt pulled in so many different directions, but he was there for them. A few years ago there was a part of her that would have questioned that he would be. She ignored, for the moment, the tension that was hanging in the air around them, and the fact that she had heard most of their conversation. She wrapped her arms around her dad and stood there. Their family was larger than just the three of them, but it felt important that they be together right now. "I'm glad that you're here," she said finally, quietly, to both of them.

"So am I," although it went without saying that he wished there was a different reason for it. Andy gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Boys go down okay?"

"I think they're doing better than the rest of us," she told him. "I've been learning that kids can be pretty resilient." Nicole tilted her head to the side and looked at him. Then she glanced over at her brother. "If the two of you are ready to pull your heads out of your asses and come back in to join the rest of us," she stated, doing a passable imitation of her mother, "there's cake."

"Dad can't have cake." Charlie still stood off to the side, hands in his pockets. "If he goes off his diet on my watch, Sharon will kick my ass. I've heard some things, I don't think I want to be on her bad side." He scuffed his boot against a loose stone at the edge of the patio. He was still thinking about what the old man had said. Maybe he was just being an asshole, but he was pissed as hell and his dad was a convenient person to take it out on. Nicole had a point though, and in her voice he could hear some of the disappointment that his mother would have expressed in him. Charlie sighed. He felt bad for being a jerk. He felt worse because Nicole was giving him that sad look. "He can have jello," Charlie finally said. He shrugged and offered her a sheepish smile. "I hear that he really likes the blue stuff."

It wasn't over. They would have to eventually talk it all out, but for now, Andy took the peace offering when it was extended. He huffed a sigh. "If I never see another cup of blue jello, it will be too soon." He had woken up after his angioplasty and the anesthesia had done a number on his stomach. For almost two days all he could stomach was jello, and all that they had brought him at the hospital was the blue kind. When he was finally released to go back to work, a few weeks later, the team had welcomed him back… with a blue jello bundt cake that Provenza got Patrice to make for him.

"Okay," Nicole shook her head at them. "No cake, and definitely no jello. Why don't you come in and have a cup of coffee? That's not supposed to be part of your diet either, but I know that you still drink it."

He sighed. Andy kept his arm draped around his daughter's shoulders as they walked inside. "You can ask a man to give up a lot of things, Nicole, but don't take away his coffee." It was the one thing that even Sharon hadn't fought him on when it came to changing his diet after the heart attack. He cut back, but he wasn't going to give it up, not completely.

"I know," she crooned, a bit sarcastically, "poor dad. It must be so difficult having so many people want to take care of you. We only do it because we want you to stick around. That's why we keep at it, even when you turn into a real grouchy pain in the butt."

He rolled his eyes heavenward. "I am deeply maligned in my time." Nicole pinched his side, but he hugged her to him before letting her go. Andy found a spot to lean against the counter in the kitchen while she started coffee to brewing and cut two slices of a cake that he really wished he could have. Not for the first time that evening he noticed how tired she was. Nicole was pale, and her hair, usually immaculate with bouncing curls, was limp and twisted into a bun on top of her head. Andy folded his arms across his chest. "When's the last time you actually slept?"

Nicole shrugged. From the corner of her eye she saw Charlie finally shuffle into the house behind them. He dumped his glass in the sink and rinsed it before taking down a trio of coffee mugs and placing them near the coffee maker for her. Nicole almost rolled her eyes when he leaned against the counter, feet crossed at his ankles and arms crossed over his chest. The problem with her dad and her brother was how much alike they were. "Dean got me to take something that first night," she explained, "and I was able to sleep, but I didn't really rest. I haven't taken anything since because I was worried that something would happen at the hospital. It's hard getting my mind to shut off. Everything is okay during the day, I stay pretty busy with all of the arrangements or checking on Jake, and Emily and Ricky have been really great with helping out too, but it's harder at night. Everything gets quiet and there's nothing else to do, and I just can't seem to stop thinking. You know?"

"Yeah, I know." Andy stared at the floor for a moment. "You start to think about everything that you said, and all the things you didn't, and you start to question it all. Your head replays memories, and not just all the good times. You get to think about all the arguments, and everything you did wrong. Here's the thing kid," Andy shrugged at her, "it's all just part of the process. I can tell you that it doesn't matter, but it does. Every memory is important, even the not so great ones. Every argument counts just as much as every time you laughed." With the coffee maker only half filled, Andy reached over and pulled the carafe out. He filled the three cups and carried them over to the table. They would let the coffee finish percolating in case they wanted a refill later. "For instance," he continued as they sat down, "I don't just remember the time that I had to replace the carpet because your mom threw a bowl of spaghetti at me. I remember that we spent weeks looking at carpet together, and she took the day off to hang out when my buddies helped me rip the old one up and replace it, just so she could make iced tea and feed us all. What I don't remember is what we were arguing about, but we were young and it was probably stupid, and she swore for years that she just dropped that bowl, but I know she was aiming."

Nicole smiled as she sat staring into her coffee cup. She turned it in front of her; she let her finger circle the rim while she worked through a multitude of images and thoughts, and the feelings that they provoked. "I've been trying to remember the last time that we talked, and I just can't. Mom and I talked every day, about everything. Sometimes more than once. I should be able to remember the last thing that we talked about, and all I keep getting is a blank space." She looked from her brother to her father. Her voice hitched as her eyes filled. "What kind of person can't remember the last conversation that they had with someone they love? Am I really that self-involved? I mean, most of our conversations were about the kids, or Dean. I know that we talked about the engagement party, and the annulment papers, the boys' dance recital that was coming up soon," she swiped angrily at a tear that made it's way down her cheek. "Mom joked about rescuing Sharon because she really liked her, and fixing her up with one of Jake's partners at the real estate office, but all of that happened on Tuesday," she said, voice rising an octave as more tears flowed. "I know we talked on Wednesday, but I can't remember a single thing that we talked about."

He liked to count himself as being pretty good with crying females, except when that female was his daughter. Andy couldn't stand it when Nicole cried, he never could. He reached across the small breakfast table and clasped her hand in his. "The details will come back," he promised her, "when you're not trying so hard to remember them. The important thing is that you talked to her. You guys were close. Don't beat yourself up about it, baby. Your mom loved you, and she knew how you felt about her too." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Me on the other hand… I think it's pretty obvious how she felt about me."

"Oh god." Nicole pressed the back of her hand against her nose when she snorted. Her face was wet with tears and her nose was running, but the resigned look on her dad's face was almost too much. She snickered and reached for a napkin. She buried her face in it and shook her head. "Dad…"

Charlie's lips pursed. "You know, mom told me the same thing. I know she was joking, but I've met Steve. Nice guy. Tall, active. He's got a house in the Palisades and a condo in St. Thomas. Mom must've really liked Sharon." He leaned forward and nudged his sister's arm. "You know, Jake has invited Steve over for the holidays a couple of times. Could you imagine? Dad stopping by for the usual, dessert and awkward conversation, and there's Steve and the ex-girlfriend…"

Nicole's face was still buried in her hands. She bent forward until her forehead was resting against the table. Her shoulders began to shake. She sniffled and then snorted. She was crying and laughing at the same time. She wadded up the napkin in her hand and threw it at her brother. "You are the worst. Why would you even say something like that?" She swept the back of her hand beneath her nose and shook her head. "Mom would never fix Sharon up with Steve. He's a womanizer. She was talking about Daniel and you know it."

It came out plaintive and a bit whiney. Charlie shook his head. He leaned back in his seat and gestured at her with his coffee cup. "No, I'm pretty sure she was talking about Steve. Daniel is that short, dumpy looking guy whose wife died a few years ago, isn't he? Yeah, it was definitely Steve. The tall, good looking one. I mean, don't you women have a code or something? What kind of woman hooks someone she likes up with a guy like Daniel?"

"The one that happens to have been married to the guy you're currently with." Andy reached for another napkin and held it out to his still sniffling daughter. "Would you fix an ex up with Steve? Or would you introduce her to Daniel?" Andy fixed his son with a knowing look. "I'm willing to bet you'd go with the other guy every time."

Charlie didn't even need to think about it. "You're probably right. Daniel it is."

"Oh my god!" Nicole glared at him. "How insensitive can you be? He's sitting right there!" She waved a hand in their father's direction. "Of all the things that either of us have talked about with mom over the last two weeks, you pick that one?"

"Nicole." Charlie leaned forward. He fixed her with a serious look. "You were the one that brought it up, honey."

She opened her mouth to respond, but quickly closed it. Nicole blinked. "Oh." She supposed that she had. She slumped back in her seat. "Sorry," she shrugged. "I guess mom and I just talked about a lot of things, silly and serious, and downright crazy depending on the time of day and our moods."

"That kinda brings me back to my point, kid." Andy got up and walked over to retrieve the coffee carafe. He carried it back to the table and topped off his and Charlie's cups, but then put it down when Nicole waved him off. "The part that you should remember is that the two of you could talk about anything, not the specifics of any one conversation. Not right now. Those memories are going to come back, I promise."

"I know you're right." Nicole got up and moved around the table until she was sitting closer to him. "Right now it just feels like I should remember, and it's making me feel worse that I don't. I keep thinking that she would be disappointed, but I know that's stupid." She leaned over and laid her head against his shoulder. "My head is full of a lot right now, and some of it is a little crazy."

"You're exhausted." He could see it, and so could Charlie and Dean. "Listen Nicole, I get that you want to stay busy, but running yourself ragged isn't going to do anyone any favors. Worry about yourself, and worry about the boys, but that's it. The rest of us can take care of ourselves. That includes Jake." When she lifted her head, he stared hard at her. "I mean it. He's not going to want you wearing yourself out either. Your stepbrothers are in town. Let them take care of him. Okay?"

She sighed. "Dad…" Nicole looked away. She slumped in her chair. She was completely exhausted, and really couldn't deny it anymore. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll do my best. That's all that I can really promise."

"I'll take it." He cupped the back of her head and pressed a kiss to her brow. "Now, about that cake…" He reached across the table and drew one of the untouched slices toward him. "Neither one of you is to breathe a word of this to Sharon." He picked up one of the forks and scooped up a sizeable bite.

"Oh no," Charlie told him, "we're definitely telling." He lifted his cup in salute. "But I hope it's really good cake."

When he looked at her, Nicole smiled sadly. "Sorry Dad. I'm not going to lie for you, and even if I tried, there is no way that Sharon would ever believe me. She has mom-dar, _and_ she knows you."

"Well in that case, I'm going to eat the whole damned thing." When Nicole picked up another fork and tried to take a bite, he slid the plate away from her. "Oh no, if you're going to tattle, you can get your own cake." When her lips turned down in a little pout, Andy rolled his eyes at her. "That was only cute when you were five."

Nicole smiled widely when he slid the plate toward her. "Yeah, but it still works." She took a bite of the cake. "Face it, you're a pushover for all of the women in your life."

"And you all drive me crazy." Andy took one more bite before he placed his fork on the plate and stood up. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "I've got to get going. I'll see myself out." He tipped her chin up. "You going to be okay?"

"Hm." Nicole shrugged at him. "What is okay?" It wasn't really a state that she was familiar with anymore. "I'm going to make it through the night," she told him, "that's the best I've got."

"I think that's the best that any of us have got right now." Andy stepped away from the table. He took his coffee cup to the sink. "I'll call you in the morning. Get some rest, sweetheart. Charlie," he nodded at his son.

For once, Charlie didn't follow him. He leaned back in his chair instead. They could both do with a break from one another. "I'll see you tomorrow. I think I'm going to hang out here for a little while longer." He would keep an eye on his sister and make sure that she got some rest.

Andy's eyes narrowed. He studied him for a moment and then nodded. "Alright. Tomorrow." He moved quietly through the house. He found Dean reading quietly in the living room, just waiting, staying close in case he was needed, but without smothering any of them. Andy exchanged a few words with his son-in-law before letting himself out of the house.

As he walked to his car, he decided that he would find a meeting on his way back to the hotel. What he had told Charlie was true, drinking wouldn't make anything better, but finding a way to numb it all wasn't a half bad idea. Instead of booze, he chose bad coffee, stale cigarettes, and the clarity that would come with speaking his inner most doubts and demons in front of a crowd of strangers that would understand only too well the temptation of turning his back on it all for an hour or two of nothing.

Afterward, he would make a couple of calls, check on things at the safe house, and then drive out to Echo Park and put the rest of their plan to find Phillip Stroh into motion. While all that went down, he would also be hoping that his wife would forgive the little white lies that he told her in the pursuit of catching a madman.

 **-TBC-**


	13. Chapter 13

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** I began this a couple of months ago. It was inspired by conversations with **NarcissaNerea** ,who has also been kind enough to beta. All remaining mistakes are my own. As always, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

"I've come to a decision." Sharon was seated in the middle of the large bed in the room that had been designated for her. They had put her in the safe house's master bedroom, not only because it was the largest and had its own bathroom, but that bathroom also had a sliding glass shower and allowed her to completely ignore the tub. She had a few moments of panic upon seeing it, but she pushed it aside and refused to look at it if she could help it.

At the moment she was dressed in a comfortable pair of pajama shorts and a loose t-shirt. She was only recently out of the shower, and wondering whether or not to finish blow drying her hair or allow it to curl. Sharon ran her fingers through the still damp tresses and considered how badly her shoulder and middle were aching. She decided that allowing her hair to curl naturally wouldn't be a terrible thing. She watched as Rusty put away her blow dryer and came back to the bed carrying a bottle of her favorite moisturizer. She accepted it from him with a smile.

Officer Jordan had helped her change the dressing to the incision that curved across her stomach, and had helped her wrap her foot so that she could keep the stitches in her heel dry, but otherwise Sharon was managing the shower by herself, if she moved slowly. Everything else seemed to be going relatively well too. The officers present weren't intruding, although the house was a little confined. They were well protected. Sharon had worried about Rusty during the memorial, but he returned to her in one piece. Now it was a waiting game.

Sharon attempted to ignore that, at least for the moment. She squeezed a dollop of moisturizer into her hand and began to rub it into her legs. They were still bruised. There were cuts and scratches to her knees and calves. They ached, stung as she touched them. It was barely more than an annoyance, though, compared to her more serious injuries.

"What kind of decision?" Rusty sat down on the edge of the bed. It was late. "This isn't going to be one of those, _oh my god my mom scarred me for life_ conversations, is it?" When she rolled her eyes toward him in a bland look, Rusty grinned at her. Underneath all of the bruises, and despite all of the worry, and the way that she seemed to jerk awake gasping and struggling to remember where she was every morning, and after every nap, she was still his mom. She called him on his crap and she talked him through all of his worries and his more impulsive ideas.

"Well," she drawled out the word and decided to let his impudence slide this time. "I decided," she repeated, with a little more emphasis, "that we are going to have to do something about the way the kitchen duties have been distributed. It's only fair if we rotate things around a little."

Rusty stared at his mother for a couple of moments. Then he started to laugh. "That's a nice try, but I don't think it's going to happen. The problem is that Julio knows you, and Officer Jordan is taking her job as your main caregiver here seriously. You might be able to win over Stuart, maybe even Perez, and I think Sergeant Garza would be a pushover, he's a little bit scared of you, but there's no way that Julio is going to let anyone else take control of the kitchen."

" _Rusty_." Sharon leaned back against the pillows that were propped behind her with a sigh. She regarded her son with a small pout. "You're supposed to help me," she told him. "If we don't do something about the food situation here, we aren't going to have to worry about getting more clothes from the condo because none of them are going to fit me."

Sharon was on a high carb and very low protein diet due to her liver injury. Her body couldn't handle flushing out all of the toxins that were produced from processing the protein. She could handle being on a low fat and low sodium diet, since that was something that she did anyway. The problem was that she didn't eat a lot of carbohydrates to begin with. Sharon kept her bread and pasta intake to a minimum. She usually maintained a diet that was high in protein and fresh produce. Julio was taking his duties very seriously when it came to sticking to her diet, and so was Officer Jordan. Sharon had eaten more rice and whole grains in the past couple of days than she had ingested in the last few weeks.

"Would a little fish or some lean pork be too much to ask?" Sharon gave her son another sad look. When Rusty simply stared back at her, unmoved by her situation, she picked up one of the small pillows on the bed and threw it at him. "I am going to remember this," she promised him.

"Uh huh." Rusty caught the pillow easily and hugged it to his middle. "Who was the woman that made me swear, several times, that I would abide by the heart healthy diet, and only the heart healthy diet, no matter how much a certain person complained, begged, or demanded otherwise, so long as said person was still alive? Was that you? Or some other heart patient's bossy girlfriend?"

"This has nothing to do with Andy." Sharon pointed a finger at him. "Our situation here is completely different. For one thing, Andy is not here. For another, it isn't as if I am asking you to give me cake, or pizza, I would just like a few less carbs and a little more meat in my diet. That is all." She paused for a moment, and then she added, "Andy never has to know."

"Nope." Rusty grinned widely at her. "The problem is, you almost had me, until that last part. Have you met that guy? Tall, pointy gray hair, obsessed with suspenders, follows you around like a puppy? Yeah, no, I'm not getting in the middle of your diet foreplay. If you want Julio to change your diet, then you can take it up with him all by yourself."

Her head fell back against the pillows behind her. Sharon groaned loudly. "I already tried that. He's not budging." She stretched her legs out in front of her and wrapped her arm around her aching middle with a sigh. She had one more card up her proverbial sleeve. Sharon lifted her head and fixed her son with a look. "Rusty, if you love your mother…"

"Save the guilt routine for Ricky." He tossed the pillow back at her with a smirk. "It still works on him. I live with you. I know all your dark and dirty habits. If you promise to stop trying to suck me into your really bad ideas about screwing with your diet, I'll bring you the bag of potato chips I've got in my room."

Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. Sharon thought about it for a minute. "Deal. I don't suppose you happened to also squirrel away any Twizzlers?"

Rusty rolled his eyes at her as he stood up. "No," he drawled, and laughed when she pouted, "but there's a box of _Mike & Ike_'s in my bag. You can have those too." He walked around the bed toward the door. "I wonder what everyone would say if they knew that you have secret junk food cravings."

Sharon hummed. It wasn't the plate of deliciously prepared sea bass that she was craving, but she would drown her sorrows in salty potato chips and processed sugar. "Since you aren't going to tell anyone," she stated, "I suppose that we don't have to worry about it."

"Yeah, no one except the guy with the suspender obsession." He flashed a cheeky grin at her and let himself out of the room.

Sharon made a face at the closed door. She redistributed the pillows behind her and sank down on the bed. "Rotten child," she muttered, but with a great deal of affection.

A few hours later, after having indulged a few of those salty potato chips, Sharon was up for her nightly prowl of the house. Now that her pain medication levels were a lot lower than she had been getting in the hospital, she was having a hard time sleeping _and_ waking up. When she closed her eyes her mind relived the attack. It wasn't that she hadn't experienced trauma before, but never in her own home. The worst part was having to revisit the images of Vicki lying on her bedroom floor, her lifeless eyes looking back at her.

Compounding her current sleepless state was the guilt. She still felt as though she should have been able to save the other woman, and that she should be providing some kind of comfort or assistance to Nicole and Charlie during this time. Finding and capturing Stroh was important, but so was taking care of the children that Vicki had left behind. She didn't feel as though she was being made to choose between her children or Andy's, but she would have liked to be with them. She could only hope that Stroh's arrogance would overpower his sense of self-preservation and they would be able to put an end to their protective custody situation.

As she left her bedroom, she waved at Officer Perez who was posted at the end of the hall. He took the night shift while his partner Stuart took the day shift. They had all gotten used to her prowling the house at night. They were keeping it from Rusty. Sharon didn't want him to worry. As she neared the end of the hall, she tilted her head at Perez. "Anything new?"

She always asked the same question. Perez shook his head. "No ma'am. Everything is quiet. I checked the perimeter a little while ago, and our friends outside haven't seen anything or anyone."

"Thank you, officer." She walked through the house, and did a cursory check of the other rooms. Everything else was still and dark. Sharon moved across the living room and flipped the latch and deadbolt on the patio door before slipping outside. There was a tall privacy fence around the backyard, so she didn't have to worry about being seen, but Perez checked the yard and the fence at regular intervals anyway.

As Sharon stepped into the cool night air, she pulled her robe more securely around herself. She walked over and took a seat on a comfortable wicker chaise and drew her legs underneath her. It was a poor substitute for her balcony, but it was better than being closed up inside the house all the time. She stared at the sky, the stars that were just barely visible through the cloud cover and the reflective glow of the city lights. Her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Julio sat down beside her feet on the end of the chaise a few minutes later. He was in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He set his gun on the cushion beside him and then draped his arms across his knees. He didn't say anything, and simply sat there enjoying the quiet night. Or at least as quiet as the nights ever got in Los Angeles. They could hear cars in the distance, moving up and down the highway. There was music coming from somewhere, probably a few blocks over. It was a typical LA night. It was clear and cool, and if not for the reason they were there it would have been a perfect night for a Los Angeles native and a woman who had lived there her entire adult life.

She had wandered the house for the past few nights and ended up on the chaise so that she wouldn't bother the others, and every night Julio had joined her. It didn't matter that she was armed, or the gate was locked and the yard was perfectly safe, he always appeared. They were both silent for a while. Sharon finally sighed. She shifted on the lounger when she became uncomfortable with how she was sitting. "I don't need a sitter," she said, and not for the first time.

The detective glanced over at her. A small smile curved his lips. "Yes you do." In the dark, his eyes were sparkling. "You all need sitters," he decided. Julio glanced over at her. "The lieutenant got shot by a deranged guy in a hotel room," he said, referencing the incident the previous year when Provenza had taken one in his vest. "Lieutenant Flynn got tossed off a moving truck and bounced across the pavement like _Raggedy Andy_." He grinned when she snorted at that, "Buzz wants to be a cop, and it's getting harder to keep him out of the action. He's not bad, but what will we do if he gets hurt on our watch? Then the courthouse, and now this." Julio bowed his head and stared at the concrete beneath his feet. "We got used to being the best. We forgot that we weren't invincible. We all know better than that. _I_ know better than that." He had been shot twice on the job, if anyone knew how quickly their lives and their luck could turn on a dime, it was him.

"It wasn't complacency," she replied. Sharon truly believed that. "We've all just been living our lives. It's all that any of us can do. We aren't cursed and we are not being punished. Bad things happen, and unfortunately, as a team, we've all had our share lately so it feels like a lot. The truth isn't that we've been unlucky, but that we should be thankful for what we still have. Yes, we lost Chief Taylor, and I don't think that any of us are fully over that yet. We've made progress, and now that things are stabilizing with that office, I think it will get better. I still catch myself wondering what he would say or how much easier or more difficult it might be to close a case if he were still with us." She offered him a smile. "I thank God that the Lieutenant's vest did its job, because I can't imagine the murder room without him, or his bobble head." They both chuckled and Sharon shrugged. "Buzz will do what he feels that he needs to do. I don't think that any of us can stand in the way of his career. We can guide, but the choice is his, just as we became police officers because that was the choice that we made. As for _Raggedy Andy_..." Sharon rolled her eyes. "I would love to make sure that he is watched twenty-four-seven. I worry about all of you, but I can't pretend that you all don't know that it's different with him. We can separate our personal and our professional, but worry is worry, and it doesn't know the difference between the two." Sharon closed her eyes and shook her head. "As for me…" She met his gaze and her smile melted away. "Julio, I think we always knew that this would happen. He would never get to Rusty, not with me here. It was always going to be me first. I think that I just always imagined that it wouldn't be quite so easy for him to hurt me."

"Are you kidding?" Julio shook his head at her. "You kicked his ass, ma'am. You were the most vulnerable that anyone could be. He should have had you in the tub, but he doesn't know you like we do. You're no one's damsel." He nodded to the gun that was lying beside her hip. He wasn't out there just to protect her, but because he understood what it felt like to have a head full of dark thoughts that you couldn't escape. "I saw the footage from the traffic cams, and the pictures Buzz printed off for evidence. He came after you, but he left hurting. You did the best that anyone could have done in that situation and you're still here."

"I didn't do it alone," she said quietly. Sharon looked away, focused her gaze on some dark, shadowy spot in the corner of the yard. "If Vicki hadn't been there, he would have killed me. My gun was in my purse, and I couldn't get to the drawer where I keep my backup weapon. I could barely stand, Julio. I was already dizzy, and I couldn't really see anything. Vicki distracted him, and half of his beating came from her and that stupid bat." She had teased Andy about that bat, didn't understand why he insisted on keeping it behind the door in their bedroom. They were police officers living in a secure building. It seemed foolish, but it was something that he had always done, and so because they were combining their lives, it didn't seem like a terrible sacrifice to make. She had forgotten it was there, but his ex-wife had reached for it out of instinct. Vicki had lived with him, decades ago, but still knew all of his quirks and habits as well as Sharon did, probably even better if she was truthful about it. That was a product of life and time and not something that she could or would change. She was thankful for it now, but there was a family left grieving and she couldn't do anything for them. "If not for her distracting him we wouldn't be deceiving the city. You wouldn't be sitting here now, and Rusty…" Sharon didn't know what would become of her son. She knew they would protect him as well as they could, for as long as they could, but she didn't want to dwell on those thoughts for too long.

"That might be true." Julio stared at her, long and hard, until she returned his gaze. "My boss is still pretty bad ass, though."

She smiled at him. Sharon just rolled her eyes at him. "See, this is why you're my favorite. You know exactly what to say at the right time."

"Can I get that in writing?" He waggled his brows at her. "I want to put it on my desk. Does it come with a raise?"

"Absolutely not, and I'm afraid you'll have to keep the bragging to a minimum too. If you tell Andy, there will be no living with him. I already have my hands full dealing with his _Badge of Justice_ obsession."

The detective snorted a laugh. It was annoying for all of them when he went off on one of his little tangents about Mike's show. Which was probably their own fault, they liked to rub it in, just because it annoyed him. It was a terrible cycle, but not one that he saw ending anytime soon. "Okay, it can be our secret. It's better if we surprise the perps anyway. Scary Sanchez and Rulebook Raydor, it's got a nice ring to it." He squinted at her. "I mean, you're keeping the name right? _Rulebook_ and _Flynn_ just don't go together in the same way."

"They don't go together at all," she said, tone dry. "I keep trying to explain that to him, but you know how stubborn—"

Sharon trailed off and they both grew silent when they heard the familiar popping sound of gunshots in the distance. They both waited, breath held and hearts beating rapidly. It might have been anything, a car backfiring, a robbery, or another police action that had nothing at all to do with them, but it had seemed close enough to come from the neighborhood. They both had their hands on their weapons, silently counting, and then moving to their feet when they heard another series of gunshots. It was a standard police double tap, two shots in a row.

Lights were already coming on inside the house. Julio jogged toward the side gate. He pointed at her before keying open the lock and flipping the latch. "You stay here," he ordered.

She was tempted to follow him. It was her first instinct, but Sharon realized that she wouldn't make it very far before her legs buckled and what little strength she had completely waned. She palmed her gun and limped her way back into the house instead. After locking the door behind her, Sharon checked the rest of the house.

She found a sleep rumpled, but alert looking Officer Stuart checking the lock on the front door. "Perez and Garza went too," he reported. "They will check it out and report back."

Sharon nodded and looked around. Officer Jordan had remained behind too. The commotion had pulled Rusty out of his room, but he didn't look as though he had been asleep. Sharon considered just where she was for a moment, and then she moved toward Rusty. "Come on, they've got this well in hand. Let's go back down the hall and let the officers who aren't about to fall over take care of it all." She laid a hand on Rusty's shoulder and turned him toward the direction of the bedrooms. "Check the locks in the kitchen and garage too," she instructed the other officers. "Let me know when we hear from the others."

"What happened?" Rusty finally asked.

"We heard gunshots. It sounded like they were coming from somewhere in the neighborhood, on the next street maybe. The others have gone to check it out. It probably has nothing at all to do with us," she assured him. It didn't make any sense to her that Phillip Stroh would figure out where they were, only to break into the wrong house. "I've got to get off this foot," she told Rusty. "If you don't feel like you can go back to bed, why don't you get your computer and join me. We can watch a movie." They stopped outside his door and she rubbed his back.

He thought about it for a couple of seconds. Rusty shook his head. He decided that she was more than likely right. Terrible things happened all over the city all the time. At least there was already police nearby whatever was happening in the neighborhood that night. "No, I think it's okay. I was actually working on finishing a term paper for my social ethics class."

Sharon frowned at him. "I thought that you had already finished all of your papers and exams for the semester?" Her eyes narrowed when he shuffled guiltily in front of her. "Russell Thomas Beck…"

"I was finished, technically," he explained. "I just had to email my paper in. Which, I actually, honestly, forgot to do; then with everything that happened, I had all of this free time and my grade was already an incomplete. I decided to just rework the parts that I didn't like and turn it in late." She continued to stare at him and he lifted his hand. "I swear, it was an honest mistake, that I am now taking advantage of, but…"

"Nothing." Sharon told him. "Did it occur to you that you received an incomplete and not a failing grade because your teacher knows that I am your mother and my name has been in the news?" She shook her head at him. "Rusty." Sharon sighed.

"I didn't, actually." Rusty looked away. He groaned. "So you think that I should…"

"Turn in the original version of your paper, apologize for the oversight, and thank your teacher for being understanding." She motioned with her finger for him to turn and pointed at his room. "Right now, Mr. Beck, and do not wait another second."

Rusty groaned again as he trudged into his room. "Yes mom. Sorry."

Sharon watched him walk across the room that he was staying in and sit down at the small desk in the corner. When he opened his laptop, she nodded. She continued down the hall toward her own temporary room with a sigh. As far as he had come, her son could still be completely self-involved. There were moments when she wished that she was still that young and unaware of the world, but she usually came back to her senses pretty quickly.

She was still shaking her head at the exchange as she moved through her room. Sharon placed her gun on the table beside her bed and slipped out of her robe. She tossed it across the end of the bed and walked into the bathroom to fill a glass of water. She carried it with her toward the bedroom but stopped on the threshold between the two rooms. Sharon leaned against the doorframe and took a sip of water. She felt it again, what had stopped her forward movement. There was a breeze blowing against her legs. Her head tilted. It was an odd sensation and sent a chill through her. She shook it off and walked back to the bed. She shook a pain pill into her hand and palmed it while she stood there. Sharon turned the pill over between her fingers and contemplated if she really wanted to take it. In the meantime, her gaze circled the room as she sought out the air vents. She was contemplating walking back into the hall to turn up the thermostat. She didn't want to get too cold during the night. She would wake up restless and with a throbbing foot.

She finally rolled her eyes at herself. There was an extra blanket on the chair in the corner. Sharon decided against the pain medication, at least until they got the all clear from Detective Sanchez. She put the pill back in the bottle and limped over to retrieve the blanket. She shook it out and spread it over the bed before she lay down. She didn't immediately turn out the light. Instead she dimmed it and picked up the book that she had been pretending to read for the last few days. Pretending, because she was still on chapter three and wasn't paying a lot of attention to it. She would make it a few pages and then her mind would shift back toward everything that had happened.

While she sat there, reading the chapter from the beginning and trying to recapture her interest, she considered checking in with the others again. She was never very fond of the waiting, and certainly not now, when she was benched. Sharon exhaled a long sigh. She continued to read, despite the fact that she couldn't really focus on it. She could hear sirens in the distance and decided that whatever had drawn the others away was close to being resolved, or at least she hoped so. Sharon closed the book and let it rest in her lap. She drummed her fingers against the cover. She looked across the room and focused on the sight of her phone, plugged in to the charger on top of the dresser. She thought about using it while the others were distracted. She wasn't really supposed to call anyone. But she considered, for a few seconds, bending the rules a little and calling Andy. It had been days since she had seen or spoken to him and she was missing him like crazy. It would be a great opportunity, not just to satisfy her own need to speak to him, but to check on Charlie and Nicole too.

Sharon smiled. She almost laughed. He really was a terrible influence on her. As she put the thought aside, something else caught her attention. Her eyes narrowed and she sat forward. It was something in the mirror, a reflection that didn't make a lot of sense. Sharon frowned as she studied it. The dresser was directly across the bedroom from the bathroom. She sat up in bed and leaned forward, groaning quietly when she did. Sharon looked into the bathroom. It was designed so that the double vanity stretched across one wall. A round garden tub was in the corner, with the glassed in shower taking up a large portion of the other wall. On the outside wall, there was a wide frosted window.

A window that was raised about four inches. They had been keeping all of the windows and the doors locked, but Sharon could not recall having personally checked this one. Her heart seized in her chest and her stomach turned over. The screen that would have been on the other side of the frosted glass was leaning against the wall.

"He's in the house," she whispered.

Sharon reached for her gun at the same moment that she crawled from her bed. She heard a thud down the hall, and although it sent pain shooting through every part of her, she ran toward Rusty's room.

Officer Jordan must have heard it too. She was there, with Stuart not far behind her, but Sharon had reached the room first. She pushed the door open and her stomach rolled alarmingly at the sight of the man who had beaten her almost to death holding her son like a shield.

Rusty's face was turning red. The sound that they had heard was his desk chair turning over. Stroh had an arm wrapped around his neck. There was a knife in his other hand. He turned toward the sound of the door opening. The side of his face was bruised from their previous encounter. His lips pulled back in a dangerous smile. "I knew the reports of your death were too good to be true."

Her arms were steady as she pointed her gun at them. Behind her, the other two officers had leveled their weapons as well. "It's over, Stroh. Let him go." There was a pain in her chest. It was a deep burning sensation, and she realized she must have held her breath for too long. She tried to slow her breathing, measure it, but the pounding of her heart was too distracting.

"Well, you're half right." His arm tightened around Rusty's neck. He was squeezing the air out of the boy. Strangling him wouldn't be quite as satisfying as cutting his throat, but at least he would still be dead. "It is over, but you're going to let me and my little friend here leave. We're going to go, and then if you're lucky, I'll send you a card and let you know where you can find his body."

" _Mom_." The sound was cut off, barely squeaked out when Stroh tightened his hold on him. Rusty was gripping the arm that was holding him, clawing at it. He was beginning to see spots behind his eyes.

"That isn't going to happen." She could hear movement in the rest of the house. There were doors banging open, and the sound of running feet. She let her gaze shift, just a bit, and focused on her son. "Rusty." She whispered his name. "Remember La Brea?"

He used to sleep in an alley off La Brea Avenue when he couldn't stay at a shelter or didn't have enough money to afford a hostel. That was where Rusty had learned to defend himself. He had gotten mugged one night, and already had too little to hand over, so he fought back. He told Sharon about that once, when she asked him how he had survived living on the streets with all of the violence that took place there. He told her, just as he told her how he had survived at Brenda's the night that Stroh had come for him there. He had gone limp that night, used the difference in their sizes against the other man, but that wasn't going to work a second time, not with the way that he was being held. Stroh was expecting it.

Rusty understood what she was saying, though. The only way this was really going to end was if he helped her save him. She wouldn't risk taking the shot, not while he was in the way. He was going to have to fight back, and there was only one way that he could do that now. Only a second passed, but it felt like much longer. Rusty let his arm drop and the arm around his neck grew tighter. Stroh was obviously expecting a repeat. Instead, Rusty grabbed a handful of his attacker's groin, squeezed as hard as he could, and then twisted.

It had the desired effect. Stroh howled in pain and shoved him aside. Rusty hit the floor and covered his head. The sound of gunshots was deafening in the small room. He closed his eyes against the muzzle flash and waited for the ringing in his ears to fade and the smoke to clear.

 **-TBC-**


	14. Chapter 14

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Seconds passed, but there was only silence in the room. No one moved. They all waited, frozen in their places while the smell of gunpowder hung on the air, thick and acrid in the small space. It was soon joined by the metallic smell of blood. A breath was drawn, and then another, and it was only movement on the floor that finally prompted any response.

"Ugh! God!" Rusty scrambled away from the prone form of Phillip Stroh. The man had fallen across his legs. He moved quickly, shuddering and standing, and putting as much space as he could between himself and his attacker. "Is he dead?"

Sharon kept her gun trained on the man. "Officer Stuart." She nodded him forward. Her heart was beating a steady, fast rhythm against her chest. She could hear it in her ears. She could feel it throbbing through every wound. She hadn't looked at Rusty yet, but he seemed physically okay. That would wait. She needed to be sure that the threat was as neutralized as it appeared to be. Sharon could hear the sounds of other officers in the house; her ears pricked when they heard a familiar voice. She could feel a tightening in her chest and throat, but stamped down the well of emotion that tried to rise in the wake of that recognition.

Stuart moved forward and made sure to kick the knife that Stroh dropped out of his reach. He knelt, gun still drawn and aimed, and laid his fingers against the man's neck. He waited, counting silently, and finally shook his head. "He's dead, ma'am."

Sharon's arms dropped. She let go of the breath that she was holding and turned. "Rusty." She reached for him with one arm and pulled him close. "Are you hurt? Let me see you." She gave him a quick, cursory glance, but tipped his chin up. His neck was red, and would probably bruise, but he seemed to be otherwise unharmed. Relief moved through her, leaving her a little dizzy and somewhat nauseous. Maternal instinct was strong, but she leaned on all of her training and attempted to refrain from smothering him in her concern.

"Mom." Rusty shrugged her off of him. "I'm okay." When she pulled him into a hug, he held on tightly. "It's over," he said, surprise filling his tone.

Other officers pushed into the room before she could respond. "Sharon." Andy led the group. He spared a glance for the man on the floor as he moved to her. He stopped only a step away. His hands itched to reach for her. Andy looked her over instead. His gaze swept over her body from head to toe while his jaw clenched. "Are you okay?" He looked from one to the other.

"We're fine." Sharon kept a hand on Rusty's shoulder; she leaned against him. She was hurting badly and now that the adrenaline was fading, she felt every ache, every throb. Her strength was slipping away, but she ignored that. Sharon glanced at the others behind him. Julio had returned with him, along with a few uniformed officers. Sharon's brow knit together in confusion. "How did you get here so fast?"

The hotel was at least six miles away; it should have taken at least twenty minutes for him to make that drive after Julio called him. The only problem was that he wasn't called. Andy exhaled quietly. "I was nearby," he told her. He turned to Officers Stuart and Jordan, "What happened?"

Sharon shifted where she stood. She looked from Andy to Julio. The Detective met her gaze, but he was being entirely too stoic. Sharon's eyes narrowed; she looked at her husband again. "Lieutenant," she began carefully, "what were you doing in Echo Park at this time of night? I was under the impression that this location was only known to a limited number of individuals." Her brow arched. "Of whom you were not one."

He fought the urge to wince. Andy knew that tone a little too well. He would like to answer her, but Sharon wasn't in charge at the moment. He was. "We'll get to that," he told her, without removing his attention from the officers. "What happened?" he asked again.

Stuart and Jordan exchanged a look but it was the former that stepped forward. "We secured the house after the second location was breached. He must have gotten in before that. We heard the sounds of a scuffle, and when we got here, Stroh was holding Rusty," he waved a hand at the kid. "The Commander got Rusty to distract him for a minute, long enough for him to get away, then…" Stuart shrugged. "We shot him." Stroh had raised his knife, looking as if he might go after Rusty for the _injury_ that he inflicted, but they had managed to stop him.

"Damn." Andy turned to Julio. "He used us as a distraction." The Lieutenant looked around the room again. "Okay, let's dispatch it to FID, tell them we need a second team, and have EMS send another bus." The paramedics would make the formal declaration and then they could call the coroner. In the meantime, he'd get Rusty and Sharon checked out too. "Who got the kill shot?"

"That will be difficult to say, Lieutenant. The three of us fired at the same time." Sharon continued to glare at him. "You still haven't answered my question."

"It's a long story," Andy told her. "We'll go over it in a little bit." He turned back to Sanchez, but scowled at the smirk that the other man was giving him. "Let's get those calls made. While you're at it, you can wake up Provenza and the rest of the team." He pointed at Stuart and Jordan, "you two stay here with the body, Marquez, Willis," he waved the two uniformed officers further into the room, "stay with them." Andy finally turned back to Sharon and Rusty. "Let's get you two out of here."

He held out an arm toward the door but Sharon did not immediately move. She continued to stare at him. She had moved beyond concerned and curious, only to slide directly into irritated. Her eyes narrowed. It was only the attention that they were getting from the other officers in the room that finally had her moving. She walked past him, averting her gaze at the last possible moment, and led the way into the hall. She walked stiffly, every step pained as she limped her way into the living room. When she reached the sofa, Sharon sat out of necessity. Rusty joined her and they both waited as Andy and Julio followed at a more leisurely pace.

"Okay, Lieutenant," Sharon waved a hand at him to proceed. "I am waiting."

Andy glanced at Julio, but the other officer just looked away. They had known this wouldn't be simple, and it probably wouldn't be pleasant. With a sigh, he walked over and lowered his tense body until he was seated on the coffee table in front of her. "I was a couple of blocks over," he told her, "at our other location."

Her brows climbed toward her hairline again. " _Other_ location?"

The ringing that he heard in his ears was red alert sirens. Andy nodded slowly. "We set up a rental, a decoy location, not far from here and we had a young cop dressed up like Rusty. He was supposed to lead Stroh back to us."

"I see." Her tone chilled. Even Rusty sat up and cast a wary look in her direction. "Whose idea was that, Lieutenant?" She held up a hand before he could answer, "Where are Ricky and Emily, and why were you at the second location?"

Andy sighed. "The kids are at the hotel, they're both fine. Neither one of them has any idea that anything happened here." He ran a hand through his hair. Andy could feel his shoulders tensing even more. "I was at the second location because I've been staying there," he told her. "Our Rusty decoy has been moving around town with me. The little bait and switch that we had going worked, almost." He tossed his hands in exasperation. "Stroh decided to visit an old M.O. He got himself a partner. That's what all the commotion was tonight. The partner broke into site B, and Stroh used the distraction to break in here."

"Were you aware of this?" She asked that question directly of Detective Sanchez. Sharon was already wondering when and why the second location was put into play, but more specifically, she wanted to know why she wasn't briefed on its existence.

"Yes ma'am," Sanchez answered simply. "We all knew about it; we were worried about Stroh escalating again. We thought we could keep you both safer if Rusty only appeared to be the bait."

Sharon swept her tongue over her teeth. Her gaze moved back to the Lieutenant. Her irritation with the night's events was only growing and that, coupled with just how badly she was hurting at the moment, only worsened her mood. "I think that leaves just one question unanswered. Whose idea was this?"

"Mine." Andy shrugged at her. "It was my idea. I thought it up, I put it out there, and I told them we should probably keep it from you until it was over." Andy stood up as more officers entered the house. "Like I said, it's a long story," or rather, he knew it was going to be a long argument. "I've got two crime scenes to keep track of right now. I need to go find out if FID has gotten to the other place yet, they're going to want my statement."

Her jaw clenched, but only momentarily. She couldn't exactly fault him for following procedure. "Very well, Lieutenant. We can finish this later. I look forward to hearing your full report."

"Yeah, I bet." Andy wasn't looking forward to that at all. He glanced at Julio. "You got this?"

"Yeah, I'll call you when FID gets here." Julio looked around the room. The house was filling up fast. "Medics should be here in five, they'll probably beat IA."

"Probably," Andy agreed. The rat squad always liked to make an entrance. He rubbed the back of his neck and hesitated for a moment. He would rather stay with his wife, even if she was casting an icy glare in his direction. He pushed down the temptation to send Julio back to the other house and turned. He decided to take this little pause in their _discussion_ as a break, he knew Sharon would have more to say to him later, probably the second they were alone. It wasn't going to be fun, but he couldn't say that it hadn't been worth it.

An hour later, Andy was finished with FID and both crime scenes had been turned over for analysis, but rather than return to the first safe house he was headed to the emergency room. The Paramedics had checked both Rusty and Sharon out after they finished with Stroh, and while the kid was okay, she had managed to rip a few of her staples. The medics suggested that she get checked out, and Sharon was in enough pain that she agreed.

By the time that Andy arrived she was already in a treatment room. He found Charlie and Rusty waiting with her, and although he was mildly surprised to see his son still hanging around after the case was closed, he decided it wasn't that far fetched. "Have you seen a doctor yet?"

The smile she was wearing melted away. Sharon regarded him with a cool look. "I did. They are going to have to repair some damage. All minor," despite being upset with him, she was quick to assure him that her condition was not serious. "Some of the internal sutures need to be replaced. They will take me up as soon as they have an operating room available."

"I see." A scowl settled between his brows. She was warned to take it easy when they released her, but he decided it couldn't be avoided, all things considered. He turned his attention to Charlie, who was seated beside her gurney. His arm was in a sling. "What about you?"

He had gotten injured in the scuffle at the decoy house. Charlie glanced down at his arm. "Not too bad. They'll stitch it up in a little bit. What about you?"

Andy almost groaned. "I'm fine." He didn't need to get into _that_ with Sharon too, but she was already staring at him. He and Charlie might have both gotten a little banged up dealing with Stroh's partner.

"Charlie, Rusty," Sharon's gaze never wavered, "give us a minute, hm?"

"Sure." Rusty hurried out of his chair. "I think now is a good time to go wake up Ricky and Emily."

"I'm just going to go pretend not to eavesdrop in the hall," Charlie shrugged, making no secret of the fact that he knew there was about to be a reckoning.

Sharon waited until the boys were gone before she pointed at Andy, then at the chair beside her. "Sit," she told him.

Her tone had the hairs on the back of his neck rising, but not necessarily in the way she might think. His eyes narrowed. He wasn't a dog, and he wasn't a child. Andy folded his arms across his chest. "You want to have this out now?"

"We have a little while before my doctor will be back to take me to surgery," she drawled, "let's fill it wisely."

It had been a long time since they had been so at odds on any topic. Andy nodded. "Okay, let's go…"

 **MCMCMCMCMCMC**

Waking up in a hospital, for the second time in a week, was not on Sharon's list of favorable activities. The second time was less traumatic, however. She did not wake up as disoriented or in as much pain, and her recollection of how she had ended up in the hospital was not as disjointed.

Sharon recalled very clearly the activity at the safe house in the aftermath of shooting Phillip Stroh. Within seconds of having squeezed that trigger there were officers swarming the room. Paramedics were called and Rusty was checked on. She found herself dealing with a worried and irate Andy Flynn, with whom she was equally irate. He seemed to have forgotten that she did not require rescuing, coupled with the fact that he was not supposed to know where the safe house was.

Unfortunately, her little bit of heroics had not only pulled open her incision, but she was bleeding internally again. That had required a trip back to the hospital and another surgery. She was at least grateful to not be waking up in the ICU this time. As her mind cleared and she got a better handle on everything around her, Sharon looked around the room. Without her glasses, she couldn't see very well, but she could make out the fuzzy forms of a sleeping Ricky and Rusty on a small, and very uncomfortable looking sofa on the far side of her room. She wasn't sure where Emily was, but Andy was slumped in the chair beside her bed.

Just like every time she had woken up in the ICU, he was leaning against the side of her bed, an arm stretched across her legs. Sharon's eyes narrowed as she studied his sleeping, disheveled appearance. Her lips pursed. She combed her fingers through his hair. She stroked the familiar curve of his face with the backs of her fingers and smiled when he twitched in response, but did not immediately awaken. Sharon's lips pursed. Then she smacked the top of his head. It was little more than a tap, but it was definitely enough to wake him up.

He sat up with a start, wide-eyed and immediately alert. It didn't take more than a second for him to realize that Sharon was awake, or that she was scowling at him. "Are you okay? Are you in pain? Do you need the doctor?"

She was in pain, but it was a dull throbbing, and it could wait. "You used a decoy?" Sharon launched back into the argument that was cut short in the emergency room the previous evening. "At no point in any of the planning did anyone ever mention using a _decoy_. You are not even cleared for field operations. Why would you think that it was okay, not just to lie to me, but to be involved with an active police action when you are supposed to be on desk duty."

Andy stared at her. They had engaged in some interesting arguments throughout the course of their relationship, dating all the way back to their first fight some time in the late eighties, back when they barely tolerated the sight of one another. If he had to pick any single argument, though, he would say that this was probably the strangest. It was as if Sharon had stopped mid-sentence to go to surgery, and was now picking up her rant exactly where she had stopped, like the previous nine hours had not occurred.

He ran a hand through his hair as he looked around the room. Sharon's little rant had also managed to wake up her sons. He met Rusty's gaze and lifted his arms, either in a sign of defeat or cluelessness, even Andy wasn't sure. "I told you," the kid said, "she wasn't going to just forget it."

Andy groaned. He slumped in his chair and covered his face with his hands. He scrubbed tiredly at his eyes. "Sharon," he began, a little plaintively. "You were never the bait, you were never going to be the bait. There was always a decoy." He let his hands fall away from his face and met her gaze. "It's over. Can't we just be satisfied that the son of a bitch is dead and we're never going to have to worry about him again?"

Rusty's hand shot up in the air. "He's got my vote."

When their mother shot a glare in their direction, Ricky reached over and lowered his brother's arm. "Don't take sides," he muttered. "Trust me on this. Never take sides when the parental figures argue. It's not pretty."

His nose wrinkled and his lip curled. Rusty pulled away from his brother. "He's not my—"

"Doesn't matter," Ricky said quickly. "Trust me. No sides."

"Alright, you know what," Andy pushed out of his chair. "We're not doing this with an audience." He walked over and opened the door. "Come on, both of you, up and out. Let's go." He waved them toward the hall, and when they didn't seem to be in any great hurry to move, he scowled darkly. "Now would be good. Go get some coffee, go make some phone calls," they trudged past him and he motioned for them to hurry. "Go be somewhere that isn't here." He waited until they were out of the room to push the door closed. Once they were alone, he pointed a finger at Sharon. "You don't get to be mad at me for doing exactly what you made me promise that I would do."

"You lied to me," she said slowly, carefully enunciating every word and wondering why he always acted daft when she knew him to be anything but. "There is no argument that you can make that will in any way justify that action, so let's just get that straight right now. I do not need to be protected, and I do not need to be saved, and there is no relationship that we will ever have that will give you the right to summarily decide what is best for me."

"It wasn't about protecting you," he snapped back at her. It was hard to argue with her while she was squinting at him, though. Andy walked over and picked up the bag of belongings that they had given him in the Emergency Room the previous night. Andy took her glasses out of it and gave them to her. "It wasn't about you at all," he continued without losing a beat, "You made me promise, hell Sharon, you made me swear on the ugly tie collection that Provenza is leaving me in his will, that if anything ever happened to you that I would make sure that Rusty was protected." Andy began to pace as he made his point, "That's what I did. I knew the minute that we made the decision to put Rusty in protective custody that there was no way in hell that we were going to keep you from going with him. If we hadn't used the decoy, if we had really used Rusty in the op the way that we should've, there was a really good chance that the fact that you could barely move might have gotten him killed." Andy's lip curled. "Yeah, okay, maybe we were protecting you in the process, because there was a good chance that you might have gotten you both killed, _or_ someone on your protection detail. No one expected the sick bastard to see right through us and figure out where you were really staying. We sure as hell didn't expect him to work with a partner again. Yeah, I lied, but I was doing my damned job."

Sharon had her arms folded across her chest. She was not ready to not be angry with him yet. "What exactly have our people learned from Mister Maxwell?" She asked quietly.

Stroh's partner, Trey Maxwell had been shot twice, but was expected to make a full recovery. After being treated at the hospital for a bullet graze to the arm and a flesh wound in his side, he was taken into custody. Andy shoved his hands into his pockets and walked back over to stand closer to her bed. "Stroh did some legal work for him several years ago, before he went to jail. Maxwell owed him a favor and now he's got a wife and kid. He's not what I would call reformed, but he's got nothing on Stroh. He was worried about what would happen to his family, so he agreed to pay the piper. They fell for the decoy, at least Maxwell did. Stroh thought it was all just too easy; Rusty and I staying in a house rented in my name when he was on the loose. So he decided to wait it out. Some of the patrol's movements around the neighborhood got his attention. It didn't take him long to figure out the LAPD was camped out in two places. We always knew that he might see through it, hit the wrong house, but he weren't expecting him to actually get inside. That's where his partner came into play."

There was always a risk when they ran any kind of operation, a percentage of error that was allowed, that they could usually work within, but this time it seemed Stroh had managed to use what he knew about the LAPD to stack his odds. "He got Maxwell to break into the house where I was staying with Officer Holt," Andy continued, referring to the young cop from SIS who had played the part of Rusty, "that's all Maxwell knew. He was expecting Stroh to show up and have his back; instead he had to deal with three cops. Charlie shot him. It looks like Stroh decided to take a page out of our book. He used a decoy. While we were distracted with Maxwell, he broke into the place where you were staying with Rusty. You know the rest."

Phillip Stroh was dead because she, and at least one of the other two officers present, had shot him. Sharon hadn't given her statement to FID yet, her physical condition had warranted a delay, but she knew that it was a justified shooting. There wouldn't be any issues with her old friends in Force Investigation.

Sharon nodded slowly. Her tongue, dry though it was, swept across her lips. "Did you make the decision to lie to me before or after I asked you to help me get released so that I could be with Rusty?"

"Before you ever woke up," Andy said honestly. "We knew the only way to get Stroh was to let him think that he had a chance at Rusty. We knew that you would hate it. You'd hate it, but you would go along with it, only because you would push until we let you be part of it. You weren't able to protect him. So I did."

"You thought it would be okay to completely undermine my authority as your commanding officer," she stated, some of her calm giving way in light of just how much that infuriated her, "as well as my position as a police officer by keeping me completely in the dark about an operation that involved my team, an open case that my division has been heavily involved in, _and_ the potential safety of a key material witness?"

Andy was beginning to feel like they were going around in circles with this. He wasn't going to tell her that he was wrong, because he didn't honestly feel as though he was. He had no problem admitting it when it happened, and he was perfectly aware that it happened a lot, but this time he didn't just pull off what he thought was a good idea. He did what he thought was _right_. "You're not my boss right now." He watched her eyes darken as that statement did little to alleviate how upset she was with him. "I'm sorry," he told her, "but you're not, and you haven't been since you were attacked in your own home and placed on medical leave. My acting CO _and_ his boss approved our operation. On top of that..." Andy raked a hand through his hair. He was really beginning to feel like he was going to be bald by the time this was all over. "This, none of it, had anything to do with you as a cop, Sharon. You're a damned good one, we all know that, there are few better, but when it comes to _this_ case and _that_ witness, you stopped being just a cop about five minutes after you made the decision to take him home with you." Andy paused for a moment; he wanted that to sink in a little before he continued. He watched her head incline, she didn't relax, but she appeared to be thinking about it. "I didn't lie to my boss," he said, voice growing softer, "and I didn't lie to my wife. I kept important details about the search for a suspect away from the witness and his family."

Sharon looked away from him. His conviction in this matter wasn't going to be simple or easy to sway. Neither was hers. "How is Charlie?" she asked, deciding that a change of topic might be prudent, at least temporarily. Sharon wasn't sure when she would forgive him, but continuing to argue with him wasn't going to do either of them any good. He was also using a fair amount of logic that she couldn't find any arguments for. She had sworn him to that particular agreement when the evidence that Stroh was back in the states began piling up again. He was also correct in that he wasn't currently reporting to her, but she felt as if that was a poor technicality. Arguing that fact would make her feel petty, however, and so she chose not to.

"He's okay. Nicole picked him up last night," Andy told her. "He just needed a few stitches. They took care of it in the ER." His son had fallen through the bannister with Maxwell while the two men were fighting on the stairs. The scuffle had resulted in a jagged cut across his left bicep. It was bleeding pretty steadily at the crime scene, but the medics had wrapped it up before sending him off to get it checked out once FID was done with him.

"Good." Sharon was relieved that the injury was as minor as it had looked. The night could have ended a lot worse. She drew a breath and let it out slowly. Sharon shifted where she was sitting. She would need to call for a nurse soon. She stared at the blanketed tips of her toes. When she spoke again, it was in a quiet, and perhaps deceptively calm voice. "If everyone was so concerned that I was going to be a liability, then why agree to allow me to join the operation at the safe house?"

Andy snorted quietly. He shook his head at her. "Have you met yourself?" He sat down on the edge of her bed with a shrug. "You weren't going to take no for an answer. You have something of a reputation for having things go your way, sweetheart. Besides, putting you with Rusty did help calm him down. We couldn't afford to have him go off half-cocked and blow the whole thing up. We did what we had to do, and now it's over. Phillip Stroh is out of our lives for good." He shrugged at her. "Be mad at me if you have to be, but you're here, and so is the kid, and we did it without you having to lie to him again."

She had opened her mouth to respond, but his last statement had her quickly closing it again. Sharon gazed back at him. It was always difficult to fight logic with anger. She was still upset with him. His arguments were sound. He had obviously had some time to think everything through. Sharon's eyes narrowed. She wondered if he had bothered to come up with those arguments _before_ the decision was made to lie to her, or if he simply justified it to himself afterward. She shifted on the mattress again. A pained look crossed her face. "I'm still mad at you," she told him. She wasn't going to allow him to think that he had won. She would never be okay with being lied to, even if she understood the reasons for it, and even if she would have done it herself.

"I know." He reached over and pressed the call button for the nurses' station. "I would do it again," he told her. He would regret that she was upset about it, but he wouldn't regret doing his job.

Sharon sighed. "Yes. I know." She wrapped a hand around his wrist. "Now, are you going to tell me the rest, or am I to assume that you just stood there and watched while Charlie dealt with Maxwell?"

Andy slanted a look at her. He groaned quietly at the knowing look on her face. He leaned away from her, but not without rolling his eyes, and lifted the side of his shirt. There were bruises up and down his side where he and Maxwell had fallen through a poorly made coffee table before Charlie could shoot him. "Nothing's broken. I'm fine," he assured her.

He smoothed down his shirt as the nurse came into the room and stood up. Sharon made a face at him. "We are going to discuss your definition of _fine_ as soon as I am out of here."

"I had a feeling." Andy shook his head at her. "Look, I'm going to go find the boys before they manage to get into any trouble." He looked at the nurse as she rounded the bed. "She just woke up, but she's in some pain, probably more than she's willing to admit."

"Hm." Sharon's eyes narrowed again. "You get pushy when you're without me too long."

Andy flashed a crooked smirk at her as he walked toward the door. "So stop ending up in the hospital and I won't have to be without you."

"Your partner warned me that you would be trouble," she muttered. "Find out where Emily is while you're at it," she called after him.

He waved a hand in response as he left the room. Emily was supposed to be coming by with breakfast and a bag for her mother. She had gone home the night before so that she could pick up some things for Sharon, along with breakfast for all of them, on her way back. He would fill her in on that when he returned to the room with the boys.

Sharon closed her eyes once she was alone. They had dealt with professional disagreements before, but never any that had so fully crossed the line into their personal relationship, or so it seemed. Sharon was trying very hard to separate the fact that her Lieutenant had carried out an authorized police operation without her knowledge from the fact that her husband had lied to her. This was the very thin and slippery line that she had always known they would have to walk. She was furious with him, on both fronts. She could hardly blame him for suggesting a course of action that was agreed upon by his superiors and then following through with it, although it was not an idea that she would have supported. Part of her wondered, too, if that was why she was kept out of the loop.

Her eyes opened and Sharon stared at the ceiling above her. His reasons sounded valid enough, but she knew him too well. He often allowed his emotions to guide him. She couldn't say with absolute certainty that he hadn't done that this time too. Then again, it wasn't so very long ago that she allowed her own fears to guide her toward seeking a security detail for Rusty that he didn't want. She hid that from him, from most of her team. Only Andy and Lieutenant Provenza had known about it.

There was no hard and fast right or wrong in this situation. She was just going to have to accept that it happened and move past it. He was going to have to accept that she was angry with him. How long that would last, she couldn't say. It would just have to work itself out eventually.

 **-TBC-**


	15. Chapter 15

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

By the time that Andy had managed to round up Rusty and Ricky, Emily had arrived. They found her in her mother's room. Sharon had already changed into something much more comfortable than the hospital gown she woke up in and was resting comfortably. Emily had also brought the promised breakfast, even if her mother had groaned at the sight of bland oatmeal and whole grain toast.

After they had eaten, Ricky stretched his legs out in front of him and sank further into the thin cushions of the very uncomfortable sofa in his mother's hospital room. "I spoke to the grandparents last night. They are giving you three days to get it together and then they are getting on a plane." He smirked at his mother. "I am also to inform you that you are to call your mother, post haste, because she is tired of getting secondhand information. Also, your father is worried about you and he doesn't trust _that husband_ ," he pitched his voice low in an imitation of his grandfather, " _to pass along details without sugarcoating it_." Ricky folded his hands in his lap and looked at Andy. "The general consensus is that she's got you wrapped around her little finger. They had such high hopes for you."

Andy rolled his eyes toward Sharon. "What did I tell you?" He asked in a dry tone. "Your father hates me."

"He doesn't hate you." Sharon made a face at him. "He hasn't even met you, Andy, he has hardly formed a thorough opinion of you. He's ninety years old. He doesn't spend his time hating people, especially family." She couldn't even begin to count how many times they'd had that conversation during the course of their relationship.

"Uh huh." Andy folded his arms across his chest. He was seated on the sofa beside Ricky. "One day, when you're a father," he drawled back at her, "you'll get it."

Sharon ran her tongue over her teeth and looked at her daughter, who was seated on the bed beside her. Her lips pursed. "It's the suspenders," she explained, "when he isn't wearing them, it's like the radio waves to his brain get all mixed up."

Emily cast a look over her shoulder at Andy. She laughed at the scowl that was directed at her mother. "Are you sure that you've only been married a few days?" She teased. Her eyes were sparkling when she looked at her mother again. "The two of you sound like you've been married a few years."

"This is nothing." Rusty was seated in the chair beside Sharon's bed. "They're actually behaving themselves because the two of you are here. Try living with them, in their natural habitat."

"It is quite a sight to behold," Ricky agreed. "Speaking of the whole, you know, married thing…" His mother became the focus of his attention again. "Your parents would like to know if you plan to hold some kind of ceremony or family gathering, after everything settles down, of course, in a few months maybe, or if this is it." Before she could answer, he went on to add, "Whatever you decide to do, and if for some odd reason, say mixed up radio waves, you ever get engaged or married again… Do me a favor, I love you, but hire a wedding planner."

Andy frowned at the young man beside him. "What the hell do you mean _again_?" He pointed a finger at him. "This is it. She's done. Off the market. There will be no more engagements or marriages."

"Uh huh." Ricky gave him a bland look. "From where I'm sitting, you're so far in the doghouse, you've got fleas."

"Oh damn." Rusty slapped a hand over his mouth before he could do more than snicker.

"Oh yeah?" Andy's brow arched. "This coming from the guy who thought his mother needed to be handled and it was his job to protect her _ever so lonely heart_." He grunted. "We'll compare flea bites later."

Sharon simply ignored them. She looked at her daughter instead. "I am lying right here, and yet they insist upon talking about me as if I'm not. The issue here, I think, is that neither of them has gotten it into their hard heads that I do not require handling _or_ rescuing."

"Hm." Emily turned on the bed. She scooted in beside her mother and leaned back so that they could watch the two men. "It's that boring machoism again," she pointed out. "One is just as bad as the other. Ricky had such promise too, but you know, it could be proximity." She waved a hand at her brother and stepfather. "What is it they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks?"

"Exactly," Sharon agreed, "and some of them even have rabies." She pinned both men with a straight-lipped, narrow-eyed, and none too pleased look. "I would suggest stopping while you are both behind."

Ricky looked at the man beside him. "For the record, they're talking about you."

"To think," Andy said, "you used to be my favorite."

Rusty straightened in his chair. A frown pinched his brows together. "Hey! You said I was your favorite."

Andy rolled his eyes. "I'm working an angle here, kid. Don't ruin it."

A soft knock on the door interrupted them before the situation could devolve even further. Sharon was delighted to not have to separate all the _children_ in her life, of which there were apparently four, rather than three. "Come in," she called out the quiet summons while the others settled down.

A beautiful, and cheerful, bouquet of white and yellow daisies entered the room first. As she cleared the door, Nicole's head appeared from behind the large arrangement. "Good morning." A smile appeared, brightening her pale face. Her hair was twisted up and secured in a clip. Nicole carried the flowers into the room and set them on the table beside Sharon's bed.

"Hey, kid." Andy stood up and walked over to greet her. He had spoken to Nicole that morning, and while she had asked after Sharon, he hadn't expected her to visit. He cupped her face in his large hands when she looked at him. She was still not looking as rested as he would like, the dark circles beneath her eyes persisted. "We're glad to see you," he said and pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling her into a tight hug.

While Nicole was occupied with her dad, Ricky and Emily exchanged a look; they both recalled the conversation with their stepsister from a few days before. Without saying anything, they both stood and began gathering their things. "Mom, I think we are going to go for a little while," Emily explained. "The boys are exhausted and I've got the car. I'm going to drive them back to the hotel. We'll check in on you again later, though."

Sharon looked at both of her children and realization dawned. She might not have the specifics, but something had obviously gone on. "Come back tomorrow morning," she told them. "Go, rest, all of you."

"We will." Ricky edged around the bed and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "We'll call you tonight," he promised. "Come on spud," he nudged his brother. "Let's go buy your boyfriend a plane ticket home, my treat." Gus had stayed as long as he could, but he was going to need to get back to Napa for work. As far as Ricky was concerned, no one deserved to be stuck on a long bus ride, especially after the week they all had.

"He won't accept it." Rusty knew that Gus would insist the bus was perfectly fine, but he was going to enjoy watching Ricky try to convince him. He moved over to hug his mother before allowing himself to be maneuvered toward the door. "Bye mom, love you."

"Love you too." She wriggled her fingers at them in a short wave as they left.

"They really don't have to leave because of me," Nicole pulled back from her dad. "I promise that I won't stay long, I know you must be exhausted."

"A little." Sharon smiled softly at her, "but so are they." Her gaze moved to the flowers and her smile brightened. "They're beautiful, Nicole. Thank you. I love daisies." She appreciated roses, tulips and lilies too, but daisies had always been her favorite.

"That's what I've heard." Nicole exhaled quietly. She was getting her first good look at Sharon. She was still terribly bruised, and beneath those blue and purple marks, she was horribly pale. She drew her bottom lip into her mouth as she sat down beside the bed. "I knew it was bad," she said quietly, "but I didn't realize…"

Sharon waved a hand through the air. "I'm okay, really. It looks a lot worse than it is." She held out a hand and beckoned Nicole closer. "You are the one that I'm worried about. How are you?"

Nicole shrugged. Her smile faltered. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and laid her hand in Sharon's. "Better than yesterday. I'm dreading the day after tomorrow." That was when they would finally be holding her mother's memorial service. All of the plans were in place, and the family was in town. Nicole didn't know how she would get through the day, because then it became all too real. "This afternoon will be worse, I think. We're going to see her later. Dad," she gestured toward her father, "is going with us." They would get a private viewing, along with Jake, before Vicki was cremated, as was her preference. They would get the chance to say goodbye, and that would make it all too real.

Andy shrugged when Sharon looked up at him in askance. He hadn't had an opportunity yet to tell her what the rest of the day would entail. He thought Sharon's kids might stay with her while he was taking care of his. "I was going to meet them over at the funeral home later," he said quietly.

"I see." Sharon felt as if she was still playing catch up. She looked at Nicole again and her lips turned down as sadness filled her expression. There were no words that she could use to express the depth of her sorrow, or her guilt. "Nicole," her voice grew thick with emotion. "I am so sorry. I wish—"

"Please don't." Nicole shook her head quickly. "I… there was nothing that you could do. Sharon you almost died too, and really… I'm just glad that… that it…" She found that she couldn't finish. Nicole looked down as the tears came. The words were there but she couldn't say them. As thankful as she was that Sharon had survived, she really wanted it to be her mom. Nicole felt so torn. She was trapped between two people, the kind and caring woman that her mother had raised, and the angry, furious woman that had lost her mother while another survived. Those emotions were all at war within her and she felt terrible. She wanted to be happy that Sharon had survived; that her father had not lost his love, and that they had married and were going to have the life that she really hoped they would one day have. Nicole covered her face with a trembling hand. "I shouldn't have come," she whispered. "I thought I could do this and I can't."

"Nicole." Sharon gave her hand a squeeze and let go of it. She stroked her fingers up and down the younger woman's arm. "It's okay, I understand." This was asking too much of her, Sharon had really not expected to see her.

She lifted her head and there was such understanding there, such kindness in the sad pools of her stepmother's eyes that Nicole folded. Grief ripped through her with a force that made her chest and stomach hurt. It stole her breath. She pressed a hand to her stomach and leaned forward, crumbling under the weight of it, until her head was lying against the other woman's shoulder. Too deep was the source of her despair, her mouth opened but there was no sound as the tears that fell shook her.

Andy took a step forward, looking immediately alarmed. He had witnessed his daughter cry before, but never like this. Sharon held up a hand before he could do any more than twitch toward the bed. She shook her head at him. She met his gaze for just a moment. She understood this. It was the break that Nicole had not allowed herself to have. There was so much to do at first, and now it was all coming to bear, and the weight of it was just too great. Sharon stroked Nicole's hair back from her face and rubbed gentle circles against her back. The other woman's weight was almost too much, but she ignored the pain and crooned softly. There was nothing to do but let her feel it, to let her cry it out until there were no more tears to be had.

The sound of the door clicking open drew Andy's attention. He glanced toward it and saw Charlie poke his head inside the room. He glanced at his sister before his gaze met his father's. He jerked his head toward the hall and drew back. Andy met Sharon's gaze again and hooked a thumb in that direction. She nodded as he stepped away. There was nothing that he could do here but wait, and it was better if the two men did not disturb her.

Andy slipped into the hall with Charlie and closed the door quietly behind him. The two men took a few steps away before Charlie finally gestured back at the room. "What happened?"

"It all finally got to her, I guess." Andy shoved his hands into his pockets. He leaned against the wall and crossed his legs at the ankles. "She'll be okay."

"Dean said she was down here." Charlie mimicked his pose on the opposite wall. "She left her cell at the house, he answered. He said she's been doing that. Forgetting simple things. She washed a load of clothes yesterday and forgot to put detergent in the machine. He's worried about her." Charlie frowned. "So am I."

"She's got to feel it," Andy told him. "She's getting lost in her own head right now. I think it'll be okay, she just needs a few days. Today is going to be hard. The funeral will be rough too. Let's get her past that first and see."

Charlie sighed. He didn't know what else to do. He nodded once. "Alright." It was really the only option that they had for right now. He scuffed his boot against the floor. "How's Sharon doing?"

"Better." Andy shrugged. "She woke up and immediately finished yelling at me this morning. I think she's going to be okay too," he added an eye roll for emphasis.

"Hey, you married her." Charlie smirked at him. He was in the emergency room for part of her rant the previous evening. He was sorry that he missed the conclusion of it that morning. "I'm starting to think I like her."

"Of course you are," Andy drawled sarcastically. "You know she's not always pissed at me, right? Most of the time she actually likes me."

"I should hope so." Charlie snorted. "Or I might start to question her sanity. I mean, what woman gets hitched to a guy like you if she doesn't at least tolerate him a little?" He glanced back toward his stepmother's room. "You sure she's okay?" He asked again, worried about his sister.

"Yeah." Andy exhaled a long sigh. "Sharon has her. I think that's what Nicole needed, actually. She had to see her and feel it all. Nicole likes Sharon, but she's upset that your mom died and Sharon lived, and that's got her feeling guilty. She's feeling a lot. Not all of it makes sense. I don't think she really understood it until she was able to get down here and lay eyes on it. Now she knows."

Charlie nodded quietly and looked down at his feet. He was feeling a little of that too. A lot of that, to be honest. He was pissed as hell, but there was nothing to do for it. He had taken it out on a punching bag, had gone to the shooting range, and had even thrown back a couple of drinks, all over the course of the last several days, but nothing really made it better. Knowing that they had gotten the guy responsible helped. He sighed again and straightened. "You should get back in there, I guess. I'll let Dean know she's okay."

"Yeah, I should." Andy pushed away from the wall. He straightened, and rolled his head around on his shoulders, stretching his neck. "I'll have her call you, and we'll see you later this afternoon."

His lips turned down. "Okay." The dread of going through with that was a heavy knot in his stomach. Charlie wanted to get it over with.

"Flynn!"

They both turned at the sound. Andy let out a loud groan. "Aw shit, not now." He scrubbed a hand over his face. His jaw clenched in reflex of having seen the other man. The cat had finally dragged the Raydor in. Jack was back. Andy's hand dropped. He squared his shoulders as he faced the other man. "Jack, I guess the kids finally got a hold of you."

"I spoke to them." He jabbed his finger toward the other man's face. "Why the hell didn't anyone call me? I had to hear about it on the news when I got back to town? First my wife is dead, and then she's not dead, but she's still in the hospital in serious condition. Would someone like to tell me what the hell has been going on around here?"

No, he really wouldn't like to do that. Andy ground his teeth together. His brows knit together in a deep frown. "First, let's just get one thing straight here, she's not your wife," he ground out. "Second, I'm sure if you would bother to check, you've got about a hundred messages on your phone from your kids, remember them, boy and girl, they put up with your bullshit when no one else will? Finally, now really isn't a good time for a visit, Jack. Sharon isn't up for it." That was, Andy decided, probably true enough considering the state that Nicole was in and the emotional impact it would have on Sharon. He figured she would be exhausted by the time his daughter had cried herself out. Charlie was right; he really needed to get back in there. He didn't have time for Jack right now.

"Where've you been?" Charlie still hand his hands in his pockets. He moved over to stand beside his dad. The other guy looked tan and his clothes were a little wrinkled. "Ricky and Emily said they've been calling you every day. They didn't want you to hear it on the news, but," he shrugged, "you didn't call them back, so…" Charlie trailed off as he leaned in. He gave a good sniff. "Dude, is that _Hawaiian Tropic_?" His brows climbed toward his hairline as he looked at his dad. He drew one of his hands out and hooked a thumb at the man standing in front of them. "He's been at the beach."

Andy folded his arms across his chest. He studied Jack closely. His lip curled in disgust. "Really?" He shook his head slowly. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I was in Mexico with my girlfriend, if you must know." Jack drew himself up, but still wasn't as tall as either of the men in front of him. "I didn't want to be in town last weekend, for obvious reasons." He sneered at Andy. "I didn't want to risk running into the happy couple at their perfect little engagement party."

"Hm." Andy rolled his eyes toward Charlie. "He wasn't invited," he said blandly, "so that was never going to happen."

"I'm still stuck on the part where she was married to _him_ ," Charlie replied. "I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't…" he waved a hand at the chunky, gray-haired, overly tanned man in the ugly tropical shirt and khaki shorts, " _that_. At least the next one is an upgrade."

"Really?" Andy looked at his son, feeling a little surprised. "I think that's the nicest thing that you've said to me in a while."

"Well," Charlie shrugged at him. "Whatever else I might say about you, I can't deny that we're a good looking bunch." He looked at Jack again and blinked. "I'm sorry. I forgot that you were still here. Oh, I'm Charlie Flynn, by the way." He didn't bother to offer his hand. "The nice lady in the room down the hall, that's my stepmom, his wife." He hooked a thumb at his dad, "They basically eloped. It's all very romantic and kind of gross, but that's really not important right now. You see, I'm not letting you into that room. My sister is in there right now, and she's having a moment. Our mom died the other night when Sharon was attacked, so maybe you can understand when I tell you there's no way in hell that I am interrupting that for you, and if you try, I will body check you into the ortho wing of this nice establishment. Got it?" He flashed a wide, crooked grin that was all _Flynn_.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "You can't stop me from seeing my wi—Sharon." He jabbed his finger toward them again. "I have a right to make sure that the mother of my children is okay. What do you think she's going to say when she finds out that I came by to check on her and you bozos wouldn't let me into the room?"

Andy's bottom lip jutted out as he looked heavenward. "Thank you?" He was only taking a guess, but he had a feeling, and a very good one, that Sharon wouldn't appreciate seeing Jack right now. He sighed. "Look, she's going to be here for a couple of days at least. Come back and check on her tomorrow. I will tell her that you were here." It would pain him to do it, but Andy would. Despite how much he couldn't stand the bastard, he had one thing right, Jack and Sharon had kids together and he had a right to see her… even if that meant Sharon telling Jack to leave. As aggravating as it was, it wasn't really his place to get involved. If not for Nicole, Andy would have gritted his teeth and gotten it over with today. The other man didn't budge. Andy groaned loudly. "She will call you, okay?"

"Fine." Jack scowled at them. "If I haven't heard from Sharon by this evening, I'm coming back," he promised.

The guy was giving him a headache. Andy just continued to stare back at him. "Noted."

He glared at them, all bluster and pomp, and the finally he turned on his heel and stalked down the hall. Charlie whistled once he was gone. "What a piece of work."

"See, it's not just me." Andy tossed his hands in exasperation. "Every time that guy is around I just wanna knock him right through a wall." He huffed with annoyance. Jack got under his skin, just as he always did.

Charlie snorted. "I'm pretty sure that part is just you. I can definitely see why, though. I'm going to get out of here. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Yeah." Andy watched him go. It was shaping up to be a hell of a day. He shook his head. He stood there for a moment before he turned and walked the short distance down the hall to Sharon's room. He was quiet as he let himself back inside. By now Sharon and Nicole were seated together and talking quietly. His daughter had a tissue in hand and was gesturing as she spoke. They both looked at him as he approached. He laid a hand against the top of her head and smiled down at her. "Okay kid?"

"Not really." Nicole drew a breath and it shuddered through her. "Better, but not okay." She leaned in to his side when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him. "How are you, dad? It's been a rough few days."

He gave her shoulders a squeeze before he lifted his arm. Andy stroked her hair back from her face and cupped her chin. He studied her closely. Her eyes were red and swollen. "I'm okay," he assured her. He was worried about her, and Sharon, Charlie and the others, but he wouldn't voice it. He didn't know how any of them would get through the rest of the day, or the two that were going to follow, but he would take it a moment at a time. "Your brother was here. He could only stay for a minute. We ran into Jack outside." He looked at his wife. "I told him that you would call him later."

Sharon could hear just how much that annoyed him; his tone was dripping with it. She gave him a small smile. "I'll see what Jack wants in a little while. Thank you for handling that," she said, in a tone that was entirely too saccharine. She knew exactly how much Andy enjoyed his run-ins with her ex-husband.

"Hm." Andy grunted at her. "He's a little upset that he wasn't kept in the loop," he warned her. "Turns out he was out of the country on vacation."

"How nice for him." Sharon rolled her eyes. "I will talk to Jack this afternoon," she promised. While her husband was otherwise occupied and wouldn't have to deal with it. She would prefer to be with them, but that wasn't going to be possible. She was going to be stuck in the hospital for at least another two days. Sharon knew that she would be lucky to get out of the hospital in time for the funeral.

"I should go." Nicole pulled away from her dad. She swept her hands over her face. "I have a dozen things to do before this afternoon and I'm sure that you probably need to rest." She looked at Sharon again. "I am so sorry that I fell apart like that," she said again.

"Nonsense." Sharon reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "You were long past needing to, I think. Nicole, I'm here for you. Even if you feel like you just need to yell, hm?"

"Yes." Nicole chuckled as she stood up. They had talked a little before her dad came back. She admitted to being angry. Luckily, Sharon understood. It was a relief, and the crying had helped too. Although she felt completely exhausted, she also felt a little lighter. "I'll check on you again soon," she promised, although she couldn't say when she would have the time to do that. It was going to be a very busy and emotional few days.

"I will call you," Sharon decided, and lifted the burden of the younger woman feeling as though she needed to care for anyone but her immediate family. "Go on," she told her, "and be careful driving home. Give the boys and Dean my best."

"I will." Nicole turned to her dad and lifted her face toward him. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you in a little while."

"I'll be there." He watched her go. When they were alone, he turned back to Sharon. "What do you think?"

"She's exhausted. She isn't sleeping. I told her that we were okay and got her to promise to rest tonight. She needed to cry, but she also needs to sleep. You might mention it to Dean. He must be worried about her too." Sharon settled back on her bed with a wince. She was in some pain, but it wasn't enough for another dose of medication.

"I'll tell him." Andy sat down beside her. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Speaking of needing rest…" He leaned over and touched his lips to the corner of her mouth in a light kiss. "I think you could stand to take a nap, sweetheart."

"I think you're right." She reached up to cup his face. "You're going to have to go soon if you plan on meeting the others on time." He would need to go back to the hotel to shower and change. She was sure that the condo had been released by now, but she couldn't imagine that he wanted to go back there. She knew that she definitely didn't, at least not yet. That was something that they would need to talk about soon, but it could be put off for a few more days.

"Yeah." He really hated the idea of leaving. Andy kissed her again. "I'll come back tonight," he said. He felt like he had been away from her enough over the last few days.

"No." Sharon took his hand and held it tightly. "I want you to get some rest. I will be okay here. There's no threat, and I'm okay, Andy. Really, I am. I'm going to sleep, and try to rest enough to convince them to let me out of here tomorrow evening. You need to take care of yourself, especially today. Go look after your kids, then go to meeting, and then I want you to rest."

"Sharon." He looked away with a sigh. His jaw clenched. "I'm fine, there's no reason—"

"Andy, please?" She touched his chin, urged him to look at her again. "Your kids need you to be at your best right now, and so do I." She looked imploringly at him. "I'm not just asking you to do this for them, I'm asking you to do it for me." However upset she might be with him currently, and she certainly had not forgotten that he had lied to her; he was still the man that she loved. He was still her husband, and she needed him to take care of himself while she was unable to do it.

He hated it when she looked at him like that. He wasn't all that great at saying no to her to begin with, but when she gave him that look, it was completely impossible. Andy closed his eyes. He sat there for a moment, and finally nodded. "Fine," he grumbled, "but I don't like leaving you here by yourself."

"I'm hardly by myself," she said with some amusement. "Andy, there's an aid in here on the top of every hour to take my vitals, and the nurse is here every few hours with my medication or to do a wound check. I am going to be seeing my doctor at some point today, and I am sure the kids will be back. I promise, I am not going to be alone." She wouldn't tell him that she would have Jack come by so that she could get that over with, at least not today. She would tell him tomorrow.

"Alright, alright," he told her. "I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow." Andy stood up. He reached into his pocket for his phone when it vibrated with a text.

"If there's bacon," Sharon gave him a cheeky smile, "I'll decide to go ahead and forgive you."

"I'll think about it." Andy frowned at his phone. "Ricky," he told her, and turned the phone so that she could see the text. "He finally heard from his dad, wanted to warn me that Jack might stop by. We really gotta work on his timing." Andy shoved the phone back into his pocket and leaned down to kiss her.

Sharon laughed against his mouth. "Get out of here, I'm tired."

"Yes ma'am," he tossed off a sarcastic salute. Andy grabbed his jacket from where he had left it earlier. "I'll make sure to warn the nurses on my way out. You're grouchy when you don't get enough sleep."

"Save all the sweet-talk for the honeymoon," she smirked at him when he made a face at her. Sharon watched him go. He lingered at the door for a moment, like he was going to change his mind, but finally left.

Her smile melted away. She sank further into the thin mattress beneath her and closed her eyes. Phillip Stroh might finally be out of their lives, but the ordeal was far from over.

 **-TBC-**


	16. Chapter 16

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

There was only so much family that he could take, and Charlie Flynn had finally reached his limit.

After his mother's memorial service, the family, and many of his mother's close friends had gathered at the house she shared with his stepdad for the reception and wake. His dad was there, bearing the brunt of his mother's family, and keeping a close eye on Nicole in the process. Charlie knew that if it wasn't for him and Nicole, the old man wouldn't be there at all. Sharon had accompanied him to the funeral, but that was all that she could manage. The wake would have been too much for her flagging strength, so she had gone back to the hotel with her kids.

Charlie was surprised they had all come, but guessed he probably shouldn't be. He was starting to figure out that was just the kind of people they were. They sat in the pew behind where he and his sister had sat with their father. When emotion became almost too much to bear, Charlie had felt a hand on his shoulder. A glance back had revealed it to belong to his stepmother. It got him through the rest of the service.

He decided that must be why he was knocking on her hotel door while the rest of his family was back at Jake and his mom's place. Well, just Jake's place now, he thought.

When the door opened, Charlie held up the bag of takeout that he stopped for on the way. He shrugged at the surprised expression that greeted him. "I thought you might be hungry. Dad is going to be tied up for a while, probably literally if my Aunt Theresa has any say in it, but there's no reason to worry." He waved his other hand through the air. "She's never done more than throw things at him."

Sharon blinked at him. He really was a lot like his dad. She stepped back to let him into the hotel room; she had only just sent the kids back to their rooms and was thinking about taking a hot shower and going to bed. His arrival had interrupted her, but she didn't mind it. "Charlie, what are you doing here?" It wasn't that she was unhappy to see him, but she was surprised. He should be with the rest of his family.

"I had all I could take," he admitted. Charlie walked into the hotel room and looked around. They had gotten a small suite. It wasn't much, but there was a sitting area separate of the bedroom. He carried the takeout over to the short sofa and placed it on the coffee table as he sat. "Too many people, you know? There's only so much a person can handle of people telling you how to grieve, or how lucky you were to have someone."

She joined him on the sofa. After the funeral Sharon had changed into a comfortable t-shirt and a pair of leggings. She also had on one of her favorite cardigans. She pulled it around herself as she sat down beside him. She decided that she could understand why he might have left the reception. Like his father, he would have grown impatient with all of the condolences and sentiment. It just wasn't what he needed at present. "What did you bring?" She asked him.

Charlie pulled the tin container out of the bag with a flourish and set it in front of her. He pulled off the top and then handed her a fork. "Shrimp scampi over linguine with roasted vegetables. The pasta is whole grain, I heard that was important."

"Oh god." Sharon took the fork from him. She wrapped her arm around her torso and leaned forward to inhale the delicious aroma that was rising toward her. "I think you may be my new favorite." She lifted the container onto her lap and stirred the contents before taking a bite. It was just as good as it smelled. Sharon indulged a few more bites before she looked at the young man beside her again. "Do you want to talk about it? I can't imagine that _I_ am _your_ favorite person right now, so why are you here, Charles?"

He sighed. He didn't want to talk about it, not really, but he didn't think he would get out of there without at least a short conversation. "I was gonna head home, but I didn't really feel like being alone." He glanced over and found that Sharon was still staring at him. Charlie shook his head. He draped his arms across his knees and leaned forward with his weight on his elbows. "When I start thinking that I need to go home and have a drink to make the day better, then that's the last thing that I need to be doing. I know I'm not my dad, not in that way, but it's always there in the back of my head."

She could tell him that it wouldn't always feel like this, but that was just more of what he was trying to escape. It would also be rather trite for her to attempt it. Sharon couldn't say that she knew what he was feeling; she had experienced loss, but she had not experienced this. "That's something that I'm familiar with," she said instead. "Emily won't drink at all, and especially not wine, which has always been Jack's drink of choice. She blames it on the calories, says it isn't in her diet plan, but I've seen that girl devour an entire chili-cheese burger without ever worrying about her diet. Ricky doesn't mind a beer with dinner, or a glass of wine, but even in college he never drank to excess, he was always the designated driver for his fraternity brothers. I don't know about Rusty yet, he's only just turned twenty-one, but he won't take anything stronger than ibuprofen for pain. He even powered through a wisdom tooth removal when he was seventeen with just Tylenol; he was miserable the entire time, and not exactly pleasant to be around, but that was his choice to make." Sharon pushed pasta around while she considered her next words. "The things that we do, our habits and coping mechanisms, they have more of an effect on our children than we realize."

"Yeah." Charlie figured she might get it. He studied her for a moment. "How can you do it? How can you go from one marriage to an alcoholic to another one? Aren't you worried that you're just setting yourself up for more of the same?" That was something that he never understood when he started learning more about her. She seemed like the last person that would take a chance on his dad.

"Ah." Sharon placed the container on the coffee table and sat back. "That is the million dollar question, isn't it?" She turned sideways on the sofa and got comfortable, but not without a wince or two as her aching and sore body protested every movement. She smiled at Charlie. "I would be lying if I said that wasn't a consideration when this relationship began. Your dad and I were already pretty good friends, and he's been sober for twenty years, but there was still a tiny little voice, whispering in my ear, warning me of all the things that I had already lived through. I had to consider if my past was enough to make me sacrifice a possible future. Luckily," her head inclined and her smile softened, "your dad understood my hesitation. We took our relationship very slowly. I had to learn to trust him on that level, not just as a friend or a coworker, but also as someone to whom I was going to be vesting part of myself. It helped that Andy was very open about his sobriety, and always has been. He doesn't hesitate to tell me when he needs to take care of himself. When he needs a meeting, he goes. When he needs his sponsor, he calls him. He doesn't hide from me those moments when he is struggling, and he lets me help him, when I can. Sometimes that means that we spend an entire night talking, and sometimes I have to just leave him alone. I think, ultimately," she said, a bit thoughtfully, "that what helped me to make the decision that I could be with another addict is the fact that Andy has never promised me that he will always be sober. That isn't a promise that he can make. He fights his disease every day. What I had to decide was if I would be willing to help him pick himself back up if he does fall."

Charlie leaned back beside her. He studied the ceiling above them. It made a lot of sense. He never thought of it that way. He had always kind of taken it with a grain of salt that his dad was sober now, and he remembered what it was like when he wasn't. Charlie slanted a look at her. "Would you?"

Sharon bent her knees and drew them toward her chest. She leaned more against the sofa cushions and rubbed her calves through her leggings. The healing cuts and scratches itched. "Charlie," she smiled gently at him, "I wouldn't have agreed to spend the rest of my life with him if I couldn't accept your father _exactly_ as he is." She shrugged at him. "Loving someone means loving all of them, the good and the bad. It isn't one-sided either. Andy knows what I've been through. He had to decide if he was willing to take on all of that baggage. We both have failed marriages and grown children. We also both have careers that are very important to us. We had to factor all of that into our decisions, not just to be together, but also to stay together."

"Huh." Charlie turned and rested his elbow against the back of the sofa. He propped his head in his hand. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they love someone enough to deal with all their addiction crap. That's not the kind of thing that people usually talk about. I guess when the old man says that you're his one, he isn't just blowing smoke up my ass."

She cringed at his choice of language. "Please don't call him that," she admonished, but not unkindly. "It isn't very nice, and it insinuates that I am, in some way, his old woman." Her eyes sparkled at him. "No, he isn't blowing smoke," she agreed, "at least I hope not. That would be a little awkward, wouldn't it?" Sharon laughed when he did. "Charlie, I don't know if I believe that there is one person out there that we are meant to be with. I used to, once upon a time, and I thought that I had found him. I promised to love him in front of my family, my priest, and my God. I held onto that marriage for far longer than I should have, for a lot of reasons, but for many years it was because I thought that if Jack was my one, then I should stick it out. I wasn't expecting to have this kind of relationship again. Is your dad the one?" She shrugged again. "I don't really know, I think it's possible. I know that I cannot imagine my life without him in it. No matter how much we may irritate one another, or how angry I may be at him at any one moment in time, I do know that I love him. I know that I want him beside me, and however long we have, I want us to be together."

She had managed to take the conversation to a place that was a lot sappier than he was prepared for. Charlie's nose wrinkled. He shifted a little uncomfortably. He was glad that they were happy. If they could find love at their ages, then there was hope for pretty much anyone. "Spoken like a woman that just got married," he teased.

"Yes." She smiled brightly, in a way that was almost a little giddy. "I did, didn't I?" Sharon changed positions when her middle began to hurt. There was still a lot to do, a lot of legalities that would have to be taken care of, and they would need to go before their priest for the blessing, but she had just married the man that she loved. It also went without saying, whenever they said their vows before Father Thomas, that would be the anniversary that they would celebrate.

"I should go," Charlie decided. "So you can go stretch out and get some rest." Sharon had been moving around a little more for the past few minutes. She was getting restless and he could tell that it was caused by pain.

"No, don't leave." Sharon reached out and touched his arm. "I'm okay, I promise."

"You're beat." Charlie stood up. "You were worn out after the funeral, Sharon. I doubt you got that much rest after. I know that you're trying to wait up for dad, but you can at least go lay down and do that."

Her shoulders slumped. She had to admit defeat. She was rather tired and thoughts of a hot shower returned. She was hoping that it would make her feel better. Sharon didn't like relying on the pain medication for relief. "Okay," she conceded. She stood up, but not without some difficulty. "I am really glad that you came by tonight, Charlie. Are you sure that you will be okay if you leave?"

"Yeah," he shrugged at her. "I think I'll drive down to the waterfront, watch the tide come in. I like it down there." The waves always manage to calm him down. He had a place on the beach when he lived in San Diego, but hadn't found anything that he liked yet in LA. He nodded his head toward what was left of the takeout. "Want me to take the evidence?"

"Evidence of what?" Andy slipped into the room and dropped his keycard on the desk near the door. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it across the back of a chair. Then he regarded his son. "We wondered where you had gotten off to."

Sharon looked up at Charlie and smiled. "I think it will be okay," she told him. She could handle Andy, and all of his moods, and besides which, he was definitely one who should not be talking about anyone cheating on their medically imposed diet. "Charlie stopped by to check on me on his way home," she told Andy.

"Uh huh." He leaned to the side and squinted at the container on the coffee table. "I can't believe you." He pointed a finger at Sharon. "You know what the doctor said."

"Yeah, that's definitely my cue," Charlie decided. He headed toward the door, but not without stopping to press a kiss to his stepmother's cheek. "I'll see you around. Try to keep him in line."

"I will do more than try," Sharon drawled, eyes glittering happily. She walked with him as far as the door and waved as he left. Once he was gone, she turned back to Andy. "Well, I would call that progress."

"It's something." Andy looked a little surprised by it all. "What did he want?" He cleaned up the remains of her bootlegged meal and put the leftovers in the small mini-fridge. "Besides to bring you something that you're not supposed to have," he teased.

Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "Don't even start," she warned him, "because I've got just one word for you. Pizza." He wasn't supposed to have it, and still he would sneak it with Provenza just as often as he thought that he could get away with it. Sharon turned and walked toward the bathroom. "Your son got uncomfortable with so many people at the reception, but he didn't want to go home. He stopped by to check on me instead," she explained. It was more or less the truth, without getting into any specifics that might break a confidence. "We thought you might be a while, I'm a little surprised that you're back so soon."

"Dean talked Nicole into going home." He sat down on the bed and pulled his shoes off. Then he loosened his tie. "He used the boys against her, but it worked. They took them home, and I came back here. There's no way I was going to stick around after the kids left. I swear, if I had to deal with Theresa for even a minute longer…"

"I heard about her." Sharon started the shower to running. She walked back into the bedroom and sat down beside him. "Charlie seemed to think that she might tie you up and throw things at you."

"It was a near thing." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her mouth. "Want me to wash your back?" He wanted to get rid of the day too, and couldn't imagine a better way to do that.

"I thought you'd never ask." She laid her head against his shoulder. "You might have to hold me up," she warned him.

"I can handle that." He kissed the top of her head. "How bad is it?" She was looking a little pale and drawn when he arrived. Andy could tell that she was doing her best to cover it, and Charlie might have fallen for it, but he wouldn't.

"About a seven," she admitted. Her pain level was creeping up. "The shower will help." Sharon lifted her head and smiled at him. "Laying down with you will help a lot more."

He would get her to take the meds too, at least so that she could sleep. Andy kissed the tip of her nose before he stood up. "Come on." He eased his hands under her arms and helped her up. They made their way into the bedroom where clothes were discarded. Andy tossed his off pretty quickly, but took his time easing Sharon out of her t-shirt and leggings. There was not a part of her that did not appear to be bruised and battered. He had only just gotten his first good look at the condition she was in the previous night. It had almost brought him to his knees.

Andy helped her into the shower and held her while the water beat down on her back. She sighed as the heat helped to loosen the tension in her muscles. That would do a lot for the pain that she was in. He washed her hair, and then massaged conditioner through the thick strands. While it was piled atop her head, he soaped up a sponge and gently washed every inch of her that he could reach. He had gently shaved her legs for her the night before, and he wasn't embarrassed to say that he had cried as he carefully drew the razor along her battered legs. She tried to do it herself, but Sharon simply couldn't bend well enough to manage on her own. By the time that she had given up, she was frustrated and in pain.

Andy had offered, but that was not a level of intimacy that they had shared yet. She had taken care of him after his heart attack, albeit in considerably different ways, and now it was his turn to take care of her. It was the nature of relationships that at some point caring for another might extend itself to physical assistance as well. After some coaxing, Andy set Sharon on the edge of the tub and knelt in front of her. If they both shed a few tears in the process, he pretended that he hadn't noticed.

He met her gaze now. She was looking up at him. Her eyes were soft, and the heat from the shower had given her skin a healthy, flushed glow. He put the sponge aside and settled his hands at her hips. His fingers moved gently upward. They danced over the bruises that covered her ribs, and carefully avoided the end of the stapled incision that curved her right side. His fingers skirted over her shoulders and up her neck. Andy gently cupped her head in his hands and tipped it back. He lowered his lips to her chin, and let them slide across her jaw. He pressed a feather light kiss to her cheek, and nuzzled her temple. He took a step closer and wrapped his arms around her, allowed them to encircle her completely. Andy turned his face into her neck and simply held her.

It was not until they both knew that her strength was waning that he finally let go of her. They rinsed the conditioner from her hair and stepped out of the shower. Andy wrapped her in a thick towel before he lifted her; he carried her to the bed and stood her on her feet beside it. He used another towel to dry the excess water from her hair before he stooped to dry her legs. When she was dry enough to sit, they eased her down onto the edge of the bed.

Sharon watched as Andy got clothes from the open suitcases against the wall. Her lips pursed in thought for a moment. "We can't stay here indefinitely, you know," she voiced the thought that they were both perfectly aware of. "The hotel is nice, but this is not a home."

"Damn." Andy returned to the bed with her favorite nightgown and a pair of sweatpants for himself. "I was afraid you were going to say that. The twenty-four hour room service was really starting to grow on me."

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Sharon admitted while they both dressed, "not having to cook or do dishes definitely has it's appeal, but I have some issues with the neighbors." Once she was dressed, she eased back onto the bed and used a towel to finish drying her hair. "I don't know what we're going to do about that, but I think we both know what we _have_ to do."

Andy exhaled a heavy sigh. He drew his sweats on and then pulled a t-shirt over his head. "Yeah. Are you sure that you're up for that? There's no rush." They were both living out of bags packed for them by others, mainly because Andy didn't especially want to go back to the condo either.

"We can't put it off indefinitely." She tossed the towel aside and sank further into the pillows behind her. Her pain pills and a bottle of water were on the table beside the bed. Sharon considered them for a moment before finally deciding to take one of them. The shower had helped, but her incision was beginning to throb, and she knew that it would only get worse. "Andy, we're going to have to go back there before we make any decisions."

"Or we could just sell it and never step foot in the place again." He flashed a hopeful smile at her. When she only stared back at him, he sighed. "Fine. We'll go back to our place and look around." Andy moved around the room and turned out all the lights. "Can we at least give it a couple of days? I just got you out of the hospital. I don't want you to end up back there."

"I can agree to that. I'm not in any great hurry to go back to the hospital either. We can do it this weekend, after the kids go home." Ricky and Emily needed to get back to their own lives. They couldn't stay in Los Angeles indefinitely, at least Emily couldn't. Ricky was planning to go home for a few days and check on thing, although he promised to return by the end of the following week. He could work from Los Angeles, but had some meetings that he couldn't reschedule.

When Andy joined her in the bed, she slid close. Sharon stretched out alongside him. She still couldn't sleep comfortably on her side, because the incision would pull, but she could lie close to him. This bed, at least, was more comfortable than the hospital bed had been. When he settled on his side and draped an arm around her hips, she sighed, it was relief and exhaustion all rolled in to one moment. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

His lips touched her shoulder. "Not in the last hour, but I wasn't going to hold it against you." He smiled against her skin. His hand splayed across her stomach, and while his thumb stroked gentle circles against the soft fabric of her nightgown, Andy nuzzled her neck. "I love you too," he told her, just as he had this morning, and this afternoon, and before Ricky had driven her away from the church following the funeral. They weren't always this expressive with one another, but the pain and the tragedy was still too fresh in both their minds, especially on that day.

Her hand circled his wrist and she turned her head toward him. Her eyes were already closed. Her lips curved in response. Sharon stroked his arm until she drifted off completely. Andy lay awake for a while longer. He listened to the sounds of the city outside the hotel, and the sounds of the guests inside. He sighed quietly. Yeah, they were going to have to make a change soon. He just didn't know what that would look like, and he worried about taking her back to the condo. If it was hard for him, how much harder could it be for her?

 **-TBC-**


	17. Chapter 17

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

"Last chance to change your mind." Andy arched a brow at his wife. They stood, hesitating outside the condo, with the key in the lock. All he had to do was give it a turn and they could go inside. "We can still call the realtor, hire movers, and be done with it."

Sharon managed to form a small smile. She knew why he was trying to give her an out, but this was something that she had to do. They had seen Emily and Ricky off the day before. Rusty was on his way to Napa to spend some quality time with Gus, and get away from Los Angeles for a few days, and so that only left the two of them. She wanted to do this now, before any more time passed.

Rusty had already been back to the condo. He said that it felt weird, knowing what happened and seeing some of the evidence of it, but he also felt a little removed from it. He stopped to get some things before leaving for Napa, and admitted that he wasn't sure how he would feel about coming back to live there again. Sharon supposed that he was holding on to the fact that the condo was the first and only real home that he ever had.

"Open the door," she said quietly. She took a deep breath as he did. Sharon squared her shoulders and schooled her expression as she walked into the apartment that had been her home for the last decade; the first home that was entirely hers, and which she had chosen to share with others. She drew a breath and held it for a moment as she moved into the living room. Nothing seemed too out of place. She wasn't sure what she had expected really. As she turned, she found that even the hall was clear of any evidence of the attack, and she knew from Andy's recounting of the incident, that was where she had been found.

"Julio knows a couple of guys," Andy said quietly. "They uh… they do crime scene cleaning. He called them after it got released. They came out and took care of the worst of it." He stayed close to her, within a step or two, but didn't want to smother her.

"I see." She probably should have expected that. Sharon looked away from the hall to gaze back into the living room. There were so many memories here. She sighed quietly as she made her way down the hall. The interior of the condo was warm, and a little stuffy from having been closed up for so many days. Sharon drew her bottom lip between her teeth and hesitated just outside their bedroom. She closed her eyes for a moment. She could hear the sounds of the attack, could see the images in her mind's eye. She exhaled a loud breath and shook it off. She felt a hand on her shoulder and reached up to touch it, just briefly, before she stepped into the room.

The glass had been picked up. The broken bookshelf was gone. There was a box with the items it had held resting against the wall in its place. The bed had been stripped. Sharon remembered crawling across it; the linens must have been ruined. There was another box on the dresser. Sharon walked past it, inside were the pictures that had previously resided within frames that were broken during her struggle with Phillip Stroh. She drew a breath and let it out slowly. It was difficult to reconcile that there had been so many strangers in and out of her home recently, but that was part of the problem. It wasn't only the attack.

Sharon didn't mind having people over, her friends and family, but over the course of the last week it felt as though her home was invaded. There had been police officers and paramedics, technicians from SID, and the cleaning crew. That was not to say that she wasn't grateful to all of them, but she was definitely unsettled.

She stood in the center of the room and turned a slow circle. She tried to think beyond the previous week. She didn't want to picture Vicki lying on the floor, lifeless, with her neck broken. Instead she attempted to recall moments that were far happier. She thought of the day they made room for Andy in her closet, and the playful banter that had erupted over all the space that her shoes occupied, and realizing that he had just as many. She thought of waking up with him after the first time they made love, or even the first night that she spent in that room, tired from moving but elated to know that this space would be hers.

It wasn't enough. For every image, for every recollection, there was another, darker moment to cloud it. Sharon didn't even bother to look into the bathroom. She moved past Andy and limped quickly down the hall. She felt as though she might be sick, but drew quick breaths and willed her stomach to settle. When she looked around the outer rooms, she could easily picture all the moments there that made her happy. In the living room she saw the first Christmas that all three of her children spent together. The kitchen reminded her of the night that Rusty agreed to try and find his place in his new life, with his new school. The balcony had always been her favorite morning place, but when she looked at it now, she saw the night that Andy proposed.

There were so many happy memories, but standing there, she realized that it wasn't only the bedroom, it all felt tainted. A darkness had overtaken her sanctuary. She could try to banish it, to find her peace within these walls again, but Sharon decided that she did not want the life that she and Andy were building to begin with a dark cloud hanging over it.

She stood near her desk. Her eyes were closed and her arms were wrapped tightly around herself. Sharon leaned back when she felt Andy's hands on her shoulders. When his lips touched her hair, she let go of the breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. "Just tell me that he isn't still winning if we sell," she whispered. That was the only thing that was holding her back.

They told victims of robberies and home invasions that they shouldn't feel like outsiders in their own homes; that they should take back their space. Logically, Sharon understood that should apply to their situation too, but she just didn't feel as though it did. It wasn't a weakness, she recognized that much; it was just that her home had been violated, and so too had her comfort. She wanted them to heal, all of them, and she didn't feel as though that could happen in the condo. How could she expect Nicole to visit with the boys, knowing that her mother had died there?

"That's not what's happening here." Andy rubbed his hands up and down her arms before he slipped them around her. "We talked about selling before," he reminded her. "It isn't like the idea wasn't always available." He heard her sigh again and turned his face into her hair. "He isn't winning. You're getting back your peace of mind. We're making sure the kids don't have to think about it every time they visit us. We're not giving anything up, Sharon. We're taking it back. I know this place meant a lot to you, but what I said last fall still goes. As far as I'm concerned, home is wherever you are. If you really wanted to stay here, we could try to make it work, but I know that's not what you want to do."

"I think I'd already decided we would move. I just had to stand here first. I wanted to be sure." She turned in his embrace and looked up at him. "I hate letting him have any part of us, he's already taken enough." Sharon looked around the interior of the condo again and shook her head. "It was safe, it was home. That's gone now. I don't feel that anymore."

"Are you sure?" Andy didn't want her to regret it later. He didn't think that she would, but he had to be certain. When Sharon made a decision, she moved forward with it. She didn't linger or wallow in regret. She seemed to be doing the same thing now. Her mind was made up, and knowing how she felt, she was ready for the next step.

"I am." She laid her hands against his chest. He wasn't wearing a tie today, and she toyed with the buttons of his shirt instead. "We'll call the realtor and begin the process. We just need to decide what we want to do in the meantime. I don't want to stay here, and the hotel isn't a long-term solution either." They couldn't know how long it would take for the condo to sell, or even once it did, how long it would take them to find a new home that would suit their needs.

"We can rent," Andy shrugged. "It's not my first choice, but I can't think of any thing better right now." His hands settled against her hips. "Let's get out of here. We'll go have lunch, call the realtor, and figure out our next step. That's all we can really do at this point." The only certainty they had at the moment was that neither of them wanted to stay there, and he wasn't going to ask her to remain any longer than necessary.

"Agreed." Sharon was more than ready to leave. "Let's gather a few more personal items, and then we'll go." She wanted her favorite robe and a couple of suits, although she knew it would be weeks before she was released to return to work.

Andy nodded. They spent the next ten minutes gathering what they wanted or needed, along with Sharon's computer and a few other items from her desk. Afterward they drove up the coastal highway toward Malibu and had lunch at a favorite oceanfront restaurant.

They were able to sit outside, and using the computer, they checked on a few of the house listings they had explored the previous summer. Most of those properties were already off the market, and what remained were the houses or condos that had not interested them. They placed a call to the realtor they used during their initial search and within fifteen minutes the paperwork they needed to complete for listing the condo had been emailed to Sharon. They spent the remainder of the afternoon completing the forms and enjoying the sunlight. When they couldn't possibly linger any longer, they returned to the hotel.

Provenza was waiting for them in the lobby when they returned. He was seated on a couch with a good view of the entrance. He stood as they walked inside. There was a deep scowl on his face. The Lieutenant strode toward them, and the minute he was within earshot, he started shaking his finger at them. "There you are! I leave you alone for a few days and you both forget how to answer a cell phone. I have been calling you all day."

Sharon and Andy exchanged a look. She tried very hard to hide her amusement, while Andy had no problem displaying his impatience. "We've been out all day," he shot back. "We've got a lot of things to take care of right now, in case you forgot." Andy had been ignoring his partner's calls and texts all day, and with good reason. He was saying that his wife's sister was in town and it was well known that she wasn't at all fond of him. Provenza's solution when she was around was to watch the game with Andy, usually at his favorite sports bar. Inevitably, Andy got stuck with paying the bill, despite the fact that none of the beers on it were his.

"It would kill you to return a text or answer your phone?" Provenza's scowl deepened. "With everything that you've put me through this week, the least you could do is send a text. For all I knew you were laying in a ditch, having a heart attack."

"Oh for…" Sharon rolled her eyes at both of them. She had to press her fingers against her lips to keep from laughing. They were, as always, completely ridiculous. She found it rather heartening, though, that with as much had changed in their lives the previous week, some things remained steadfast and sure. Sharon cleared her throat and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I'm afraid that may be my fault. My phone died a couple of hours ago and we've been using Andy's. You see, we went back to the condo today, and we've spent the last few hours dealing with the realtor and looking for a temporary residence."

"Oh." All of Provenza's bluster seemed to fade at that. He shifted where he stood. "Sharon, you're looking better. It's good to see you." He had visited her in the hospital, along with Patrice, but it had been a couple of days since he saw either of them. The Commander was going to be on medical leave for a few weeks, but Flynn was on call, as was the rest of Major Crimes. They were all back at work on Monday, but hoping they wouldn't catch another case until then. They could all use a few days off after the latest incident with Stroh. Provenza studied the pair of them. Sharon did look better than she had in the hospital, at least marginally. He narrowed his eyes at his partner. "You still look like crap," he grumbled.

"You know," Sharon decided, "I think it's getting a little deep in here for me." She turned to her husband and took the single tote that held her computer and the few items they retrieved from the condo from him. "I'm going to go upstairs and plug my phone in. Go out, don't go out, it really doesn't matter. Just try to behave. I won't be available to talk you out of any crime scenes later." She tipped her face up to kiss his cheek. "Lieutenant," she turned to the other man. Her voice trembled with amusement. "It was… good to see you too."

They could hear her laughing as she walked toward the elevator. Andy glared at his partner. "What do you want? The game is over by now," he spat. "You should go home, bother your own wife, and leave mine alone."

"Your wife likes me just fine." Provenza grabbed his arm and turned him toward the door. "I can't go home. Patrice's sister is still there. That woman hates me. Let's go eat."

Andy dug his heels in. He had no intention of going out with Provenza. "I've already eaten," he said. "I'm not going anywhere with you. In case you've never noticed, you and me, alone together in any location usually ends in disaster. No thanks, I've had enough of that lately."

"Oh ha-freaking-ha-ha." Provenza made a face at him. "You can watch me eat," he decided, "and it does not _always_ end in disaster. We went to a game last month and nothing bad happened," he reminded him.

"Uh huh." Andy jerked his arm away from his partner. He turned and began walking toward the elevators. "We got called out to a crime scene in the eighth inning, while the game was still tied, and missed a walk-off home run in extra-innings. What do you call that? I call it a disaster. Go away, I'll see you on Monday."

"Flynn!" Provenza hurried after him. He caught his arm again. " _Flynn!_ You cannot leave me alone right now. I can't go to a restaurant by myself, that would look ridiculous."

"Really?" Andy folded his arms across his chest. He gave his partner a bland look. "And me sitting there watching you eat wouldn't look ridiculous?"

"Well," the older man shrugged, "you always look like that, so not really, no." When his partner continued to walk away, Provenza grabbed his arm again. "Okay, okay," he conceded. "Just come out for a little while. Patrice and her sister are probably sitting around having mimosas or something. I just need a few more hours and then I can brave that hot zone."

"Mimosas?" Andy almost laughed. His partner really didn't know very much about women. He glanced at his watch. It was well after four. He would bet that they had passed mimosas and moved right into cocktails. "Look, if you're so hungry, go to the hotel restaurant and order something. I'll go up and check on Sharon, and then come back down and keep you company."

Provenza drew himself up. Shock filled his expression. "You would make me eat bad, expensive hotel food?" His jaw snapped closed. He sniffed. "You call yourself my partner."

Andy rolled his eyes again. "Yeah? Let's talk about being a good partner. My wife just got out of the hospital and you want me to go run all over town with you because you can't keep your mouth closed long enough to not piss off your wife's sister. Who is being a bad partner here? We can hang out in the hotel restaurant, or you can go out by yourself, _or_ you can go home," he added. "Those are your choices. Just because you got all dressed up and got your panties in a wad," he drawled sarcastically, "does not mean that I am going to take you out on the town."

His jaw dropped open. It took Provenza a moment to wrap his head around that one. His face turned red and he shook his finger at his partner again. "I can't believe you'd try to send me home right now. You've pulled some low stunts in your time, Andy Flynn, but that one really hits the bottom of the barrel." His chin lifted. "Of all the times that I have covered for you…"

"You haven't covered for me since I started dating Sharon," Andy pointed out, "so don't even go there. You're afraid to even try it. You're scared of her."

"Of course I am," Provenza squinted at him, he wondered if his partner had a stroke recently or was otherwise mentally incapacitated. "Who isn't?" He sighed. "If we're sitting in the hotel restaurant you're buying."

"Fine!" Andy figured he would end up paying anyway. At least if they stayed at the hotel, he would be closer to Sharon. "Just let me go up and check on her. I'll let her know plans changed. Maybe, if she's feeling up to it, she will join us."

"Oh." Provenza's eyes widened. "That's perfect. I can always tell Patrice that I was having dinner with the two of you, and there's no way that she'll yell at me for avoiding her sister." He grabbed Andy's arm again and turned him, this time toward the elevators. He began pushing him. "Go on, off you go. I'll just go and get us a table."

"Aw hell…" Andy groaned as he made his way to the elevator bank. He waited until he was in the lift and the doors were closed before he grinned. He had missed that old pain in his ass.

Sharon was surprised to see him. She only had enough time to change and settle on the bed with her computer before he walked through the door. She regarded him with raised brows as he moved toward her. "That was quick," she said, and with some trepidation. She wasn't expecting to see him again for at least an hour, perhaps two.

"Yeah." Andy sat down on the bed beside her legs. "Tell me something." He nodded to her phone, which was plugged in on the table beside the bed. "If I were to check that, would I find a text to a certain Lieutenant begging him to take me off your hands for a little while."

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Either she had been told on, or Andy was seeing right through her. She shrugged at him. "I wouldn't say… _begged_ exactly… Consider it more like gentle persuasion." Sharon placed the computer beside her, on the center of the bed, and clasped her hands in her lap. She smiled sweetly at him. "I thought that you could use a distraction."

"A distraction?" Andy grinned at her. "Yeah, that's what I'd call Provenza, alright." He shook his head at her. "Sharon, I don't need to be distracted from you…"

"Not just from me." She reached out and grasped his hand. "Andy, all of the chaos and the pain has been constant for the last week. We all need a way to start to put it behind us. Yes, we are going to grieve, for however long it takes, but we also need to get back to living our lives. Charlie is back at work, and Nicole will be returning to her office on Monday, and so will you. There are still going to be hard days ahead, I'm sure, but the thing that I realized this afternoon is that Stroh only wins if we allow life to stop." She let go of his hand and laid her palm against his cheek. "Besides, honey, I love you, but I need a break. We haven't spent this much time together in… ever."

"Oh gee, how romantic," Andy said, tone dripping with sarcasm, "we ought to get married. Oh, wait…" He rolled his eyes at her. When she laughed, he sighed. She had a point, even if he was slower to recognize it. They were used to having time to themselves. The hotel was a little confining, there really wasn't anywhere for them to go to gain that space. They agreed early on that if they were going to have this relationship, one where they spent the majority of their days working together, and then their evenings as a couple, they would need to find a balance. "So your solution," he asked her, "was to call Provenza?"

"Well," she drawled with a smile. "Who better to pull you out of your own head? I thought he could get the job done, and obviously I was correct. He's doing me a favor, so be nice."

"Too late." Andy leaned over and pressed a kiss to her upturned mouth. "Thanks," he told her. "I guess you're right. Are you going to be okay up here by yourself?" He would still worry, but she was getting stronger every day.

"Yes. I'm not going to go anywhere, and my phone is already showing signs of life. If I need anything, I will call you. I promise. Go, have a good time. Annoy one another, just try not to destroy anything in the process." Sharon pulled the computer back into her lap. "I'll even try to find us a place to live."

"Okay." Andy grinned widely as he stood up. "You're the best."

She shrugged a single shoulder and made a satisfied noise. "I know."

"We're just going to be down in the hotel restaurant. If you change your mind, or want to join us…"

Sharon felt like throwing a pillow at him. "I will be fine," she said again. "Go on. Play with your little friend."

"Oh, funny!" Andy made a face at her. "Now I know where Rusty gets it from."

"Hm." She mocked him behind his back. Before he could leave, she called him back. "Oh, Andy… how did you figure it out?" She would obviously need to talk to the Lieutenant about working on his badgering technique.

He flashed a wide, crooked grin at her. "He invoked the sister-in-law. She doesn't like him any more than he likes her, so she only visits once a month. She was here two weeks ago. It's too soon for another visit. He's slipping in his old age."

Sharon groaned as he left. Her head dropped back against the pillows behind her. "It really is like being married to both of them," she muttered. She remained there for a moment and shook her head before lifting it. Sharon focused her attention on the computer in front of her; at least if they were staying in the hotel, she hoped they wouldn't get into any trouble. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she winced. She would only have herself to blame if anything did happen.

While Andy was occupied elsewhere, Sharon decided to take a peek at her email. She was sure that by now her inbox was close to crashing. She might be on medical leave, but she could see no reason why she couldn't take care of any correspondence that was waiting for a response… even if that meant forwarding it to Lieutenant Provenza. Sharon smiled to herself as she began sorting through the messages.

It took her a while, well over an hour, to get through the majority of it. Sharon answered what she couldn't delegate, ignored what could wait, and transferred the rest of it to her second in command. He would have quite the surprise waiting for him on Monday morning. Afterward, and feeling a little pleased with herself, Sharon put the computer aside and tipped her head back again.

When she closed her eyes, she only intended it to be for a moment or two, but Sharon was startled awake a little while later by the feel of the bed moving. Her eyes snapped open and for just a moment, her stomach clenched and her heart skipped a beat. She cast a wide-eyed look beside her and found Andy seated on the edge of the bed. Most of the lights in the room were now off, leaving only the dim glow from the lamp beside her and the partially open bathroom door. Sharon didn't say anything. His back was to her, and she watched as he pulled off his shoes and placed them against the wall. He sat there for another minute, and she watched him rub the back of his neck and roll his head before he stood up again.

Sharon closed her eyes. She could sense him standing in the room. When he moved into the bathroom and closed the door, she let out a quiet breath. She was frustrated with herself, jumping at noises and movement as though she was frightened, and she didn't want him worrying about her anymore. It was bad enough that she still had trouble waking in the morning, or that her dreams woke her during the night. He hadn't said anything, and Sharon knew that he wouldn't, but he worried about her.

She drew a breath when the shower started. Sharon sat up and eased herself onto the edge of the bed. She rested there for a short while before she eased herself up and moved to where their bags stood open. She looked through Andy's bag until she found one of his t-shirts and then she changed into it. At any other time she would have joined him in the shower. They would have enjoyed that closeness, just standing together beneath the hot spray, hands moving over tired and aching muscles, chasing away the day with a pleasant reminder of what morning might bring. Sharon turned off the lamp and got back into bed instead. She took one of the pillows and gathered it to her middle as she lay down on her side, using it as a support. She sighed as the muscles of her back stretched and began to relax. Her eyes closed and all she could see was the sorrow in Andy's eyes as he watched her dress that morning. Seeing her like this was hard for him, but bruises could heal. It would only take time.

He didn't linger in the shower long. Light filled the room when the bathroom door opened. Sharon was laying with her back to him, and could only smile as warm, damp air wafted across the bed, along with the familiar smell of his shower gel. It was something light, almost woodsy, and not at all overpowering. When he joined her in the bed, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and felt the tingle that always started in her toes move up her spine. There was something enticing about that man, fresh out of the shower. His hair would still be a little damp, and his skin would be flushed from the heat.

Andy laid a hand against her waist and Sharon slid closer to him with a low sound. She tucked herself against him and sighed as she settled into the familiar contours of his body. She bent her knees and tucked her feet beneath his calves. A soft chuckle rumbled in her throat when he hissed at the feel of her cold toes against his warm skin.

"Did you have a good time?" Her voice was low and melodic in the otherwise quiet room.

"Yeah." He pressed a kiss against her shoulder, not surprised to find her awake. With the thin walls that surrounded them, he figured the shower would probably wake her. "It was good. The hotel is still standing," he quipped with pride.

"I'm so proud of you." She laid her hand over his as it rested against her stomach. He grumbled at her and she laughed again.

"What did you do?" He asked her. Andy might have found her napping, but he knew that she hadn't spent her entire evening in that state. He almost checked on her a couple of times, but was proud of himself for staying downstairs for the full two hours of his visit with Provenza.

"Oh, just a little paperwork," she said. "I sent a reminder to the Lieutenant to have the team's timesheets sent over to me next week. I answered a few emails and sent the rest to my temporary fill-in." She felt his laughter before she heard it. "I need to do the budget review and a few other things next week, but nothing critical. FID copied me on their final report. I was cleared, but we knew that I would be. I'll have to see Behavioral Science before I'm completely back, but I can't do that until I'm off medical leave." Until then there were some small tasks that she could do, things that would fill her days and prevent her from going completely mad with boredom. A good deal of her job was administrative and she could take care of that remotely, while she was recovering.

"So I guess," Andy's voice rumbled with amusement, "the only question left is how much paperwork do you want us to generate for you while you're playing _couch monkey_." He felt her elbow dig into his stomach, but he was prepared for it.

"That's _Commander couch monkey_ to you, Lieutenant." She huffed for full effect, but smiled at his quiet laughter. "The usual amount of paperwork will suffice," she said drily, "I don't need any herculean efforts to fill my time. At least as long as you are still on desk duty, I won't have to worry about what you and the Lieutenant are doing without supervision."

Andy pressed his lips against her shoulder again. He lay there, silent for just a moment. Then he cleared her throat. "I guess now is a bad time to remind you that with Provenza in charge, he's probably going to be in the office with me most of the time?"

"Oh god." Sharon groaned quietly. No, she had not considered that fact. The lieutenant would be filling in for her, taking meetings and calls, and signing off on reports for cases that she wouldn't be part of. That would put him in the office, probably more than he would like, and in the exact same location as his partner in trouble. "Andy." She rolled onto her back and looked up at him. "Chief Mason has only just started to fully settle into his new job, a job that I would like to remind you that I really do _not_ want. Please don't send him running, and while you're at it, we just got our Murder Room back. I would like to keep it for a little while."

His eyes narrowed. The light from the window was pretty faint, but he could still make out the entirely too amused look on her face. "You're not as funny as you want to believe," he grumbled.

"Oh, I think I am." She moved back onto her side and settled against him again. He continued to grumble at her under his breath and she nudged him with her elbow again. He sighed and pulled her closer. Sharon closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. It was hard to find contentment, but as his warmth surrounded her, it came. She drifted on that feeling and hoped that tonight it would be enough, and the dreams would not come.

 **-TBC-**


	18. Chapter 18

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

Three weeks had passed since that night at the safe house. The bruises had faded, and the cuts had healed. The worst of them had left behind only thin pink lines that Sharon's doctor assured her would eventually go almost completely unnoticed. She could walk now without a limp. The jagged cut across her heel had left behind only a small, puckered line. The worst of her injuries, the damage to her liver, was still healing. The incision had closed, but the deeper wound still ached occasionally. Sharon was still on a slightly restricted diet, and her doctor had not yet fully cleared her to get back to her usual routine, or to return to work.

She was still on medical leave, but was monitoring her team remotely. She was keeping up with a good deal of the paperwork that her people could produce on any given day, and while most of her court appearances were rescheduled while she was recovering, there had been a couple that required her presence in the last week.

Sharon had not been back to the PAB during those three weeks, but she had been summoned to a meeting in the Assistant Chief's office that simply couldn't be put off any longer. The Phillip Stroh case was being officially closed, and before that could happen, Chief Mason wanted a full accounting of the events at the safe house from everyone who was involved.

They were seated around the conference table in the Chief's office. He paced slowly around the room while the events were retold. "I understand how Trey Maxwell came to be at our secondary location," he stated, "and it makes sense to me that Stroh would double back to the primary site, but the part that I'm having a lot of trouble with is _how_ did he get inside the house?" Mason stopped at the end of the table and looked over those that were assembled. Commander Raydor and Lieutenant Flynn were seated closest to him, and had been joined by Detective Sanchez, Officers Stuart and Perez, Sergeants Garza and Flynn, and Officer Jordan. Deputy Chief Howard was leaning against the credenza behind the table, with Commander McGinnis beside him. Mason looked at each one of them, in turn, before he finally settled his gaze on Detective Sanchez. He was the one in charge of security at the safe house, the safety of the Commander and her son were ultimately his responsibility, even if Lieutenant Flynn had taken point on the operation. "I thought that spot was carefully vetted?"

"It was, sir." Julio leaned forward in his seat. He had gone over it in his head a dozen times. "Every lock was checked. The windows were secured. The officers on the street had a good view of the house. Perez had checked the perimeter the hour before. He was due to check it again when we heard the commotion at the decoy spot."

"SID went over the house after we withdrew," Andy explained. "None of the locks looked like they were tampered with. We only found Stroh's fingerprints in the bathroom and the room where Rusty was staying."

"The lock on the bathroom window was pretty warped," Stuart said. "We just don't know if he did that breaking in, or if it was already like that."

"And we missed it," Charlie finished for him. His brows drew together in a scowl. "How did we miss something like a busted window lock when the creep had a history of going in women's bathroom windows?"

"That's why we're here, Sergeant." Mason rested his hands atop the chair in front of him. "I read through the house inspection. It was checked the day you moved in," which was standard for an operation like theirs. "There was nothing reported."

"I honestly can't remember if I checked it myself or not," Sharon explained. Her hands were clasped against the top of the table. "I remember checking the windows in Rusty's room, but I didn't check the rest of the house."

"Well, you weren't exactly at your best," Andy reminded her with a smile. She was just out of the hospital, against her Doctor's advice, and barely capable of moving.

"Good enough to shoot that asshole before he could hurt anyone else," Charlie quipped.

"Like a Sergeant who wasn't supposed to be present?" McGinnis silenced anything else he might have said with a warning look. She was learning quickly that he was living up to his name.

Charlie turned in his chair and exchanged a look with his father. "What did I tell you?" he muttered quietly.

He had to fight the urge to laugh. Andy wondered if it would do Charlie any good to remind him that the _little and mean_ ones always got exactly what they wanted, and usually at the expense of the jerks that were causing them trouble. He saw the corners of Sharon's mouth twitch. She looked down, which was an indication to him that she was attempting to cover her amusement. Andy decided that learning his lesson the hard way would be a lot better for his son, than clueing him in prematurely.

Chief Mason sighed. "I'm going to have a hard time selling the Chief and Mayor on an _I don't know_ scenario."

"I checked that house," Sanchez said firmly. "It was secure." He wouldn't have risked his Commander or her son. He didn't appreciate anyone thinking that he would.

Sharon swiveled in her chair to look at him. When he met her gaze, she gave a small shake of her head. "Detective, I believe that we can agree that our location was secure when we arrived." She turned again and looked at the Assistant Chief. "We don't have any hard and fast evidence that Stroh broke the lock when he climbed through the window, but from all accounts, that is exactly what happened. Stroh would have known that Maxwell would be breaking into the other house; he timed it so that he slipped into the house while the rest of us were otherwise occupied."

"I have a suggestion." The attention in the room shifted until everyone was focused on Chief Howard. "Why don't we just call the whole thing what it is. Done." His arms were folded across his chest. He shrugged at Mason. "Stroh is dead. Maxwell took a deal. The Commander is recovering, and I heard that Rusty is already back at work for DDA Hobbs. Case closed."

"I am inclined to agree," Sharon said. "There are risks in any police action. I would call this one a success." She paused for a moment. "FID was inclined to agree. Speaking from experience…" She slanted a look at Flynn when he grunted at her statement, "if Internal Affairs is happy, close the file and call it a day."

The Chief sighed. He hadn't learned anything different than what was in all of their reports and statements. The Stroh incident was finished, and they would never know exactly how he had gotten into the house. That was the difference between his current job and the intelligence division that he ran before. There were fewer variables left unanswered in his previous job. He supposed that he still had some adjusting to do. "Very well," he agreed. "Dismissed."

While most of the officers in the room excused themselves, Sharon lingered behind with Chief Howard. She smiled as Commander McGinnis followed Charlie out of the office. "He is his father's son," she remarked.

"You have no idea." Fritz pinched the bridge of his nose. "A few months ago his team beat down a door to a suspect's house. They found porn playing on a computer. When the rest of his division arrived, he and his partner were critiquing it, much to the amusement of their teammates." The Chief shook his head. "I don't get it. He had a great record in San Diego, but it's like the minute he got here…"

"Hm." Sharon looked heavenward. "Proximity. Try being in the same room with them for more than a few minutes."

"No thank you." Fritz laughed. "He's a good cop. Commander McGinnis sees a lot of potential in him. She's been putting him through his paces. I think he'll move to team lead before the year is over. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, we can deal with the attitude."

"Speaking of attitude," Mason clasped his hands together and stood in front of Sharon. "Please tell me that you are coming back soon?" He knew that her original paperwork had her out for six weeks, but Mason was really hoping for a miracle and an early release.

"Three more weeks." Sharon rose from behind the table. "Believe me, Chief, I tried. After the stunt I pulled after I was let out of the hospital the first time, my doctor is making me do the full six." He seemed to deflate a bit. Sharon was sympathetic, but there was little that she could do. "Is Lieutenant Provenza giving you that much of a hard time?"

The younger man sighed. "Let me just say that I have the utmost respect for the Lieutenant, but…" Mason paused. A grimace crossed his face. "The man is driving me insane. I understand that he wants to solve his cases. _I_ want him to solve the cases, but…"

"You also have an overtime budget to maintain." Sharon walked beside him as they moved out of his office. "I see. That has always been hard to balance. Comp time," she said. "Assistant Chief Taylor and I used to trade in comp time. If a case that we were working delved too far into that month's overtime reserve, then I would accept comp time for my team. It gave us a few more days off during the year without pulling from our vacation time or sick days, and it rolled over." Their vacation days restarted at the beginning of each year, as did their sick time, but comp time was an exchange of paid time off for work performed, so it could not expire.

"He's testing you." Fritz strolled along behind them. "Provenza knows how to get around the overtime issue. He was waiting to see what you would do. Are you going to fold, or will you risk the case to play the politics game?" He shook his head. "I'm surprised you didn't already know, Sharon. Flynn didn't tell you?"

"Oh no." She glanced back at him. "We have a very strict _agreemen_ t when it comes to the team. I'm not allowed to call it a _rule_ because Andy doesn't like that word," she smiled when the other two men laughed. "For him to maintain the relationships that he has with them, he can't tell me anything that's going on with the team. Not unless it's going to jeopardize a case or put someone's life in danger. I'm talking about the general functioning of the team dynamics. I am still the last one to know any of the really good gossip. Likewise, he doesn't discuss with them any of the things that he overhears when he's with me, or that he and I discuss because I need someone to bounce ideas off of. Complete non-interference."

"And that works?" Mason looked skeptical. To be honest, he never really thought about how their relationship worked. It just did, and it was already well established before he got involved with the inner workings of their division. "He's okay not letting his pals in the loop, and you're alright with not always knowing what they're up to?"

"I didn't know before I was in a relationship with him," she pointed out. "Of course, they aren't very good at keeping secrets, so I always learned what was happening eventually, and long before any of them were aware that I was in the know." She laughed with the two men, but shrugged. "I won't say that it was easy finding that balance, but maintaining it has been fairly simple."

"Huh." Mason stopped at the end of the hall, where going straight would take them to Major Crimes, and turning would bring them to the elevator bank. "Did you have this kind of trouble with them?" The question was directed at Howard. "You had them for months before I was in the picture."

"Well, I also had the Commander for most of that time," Fritz reminded him. "I only had to contend with Lieutenant Provenza on my own during the week that the Commander took personal leave to be with Lieutenant Flynn after his heart attack. The Lieutenant wasn't exactly in his best fighting form that week."

"I guess not." Mason shook his head. "Well Commander, I'm off to see the Chief. Comp time; thanks for the tip. I'll use that when our next case runs long."

"I'll walk you out," Fritz told him. "Sharon, it was good to see you. Hurry back," he told her.

Sharon stood at the end of the hall. She watched as they got on the elevator. After they were gone, she turned and regarded the entrance to Major Crimes. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. It had been a couple of weeks since she had seen most of her team, although they asked after her often. Sharon tucked her hands into the pockets of her slacks and strolled toward the Murder Room. Her smile widened as she stepped inside. Somehow she wasn't surprised that they were _not_ hard at work.

Julio and Amy appeared to be giving Buzz a hard time while Nolan looked on, providing commentary that only made the situation worse. Mike and Andy were taking bets on how the situation would end, and Lieutenant Provenza was using the white board to keep track of the totals. Sharon rolled her eyes at them.

"I leave you alone for a few days and this is what I find?" She strolled further into the room.

A chorus of greetings filled the room. "We heard a rumor that you were in the building," Amy chirped, "but we weren't sure if you would stop by."

"It was looking like Mason might drag you across the street with him," Andy told her, but not without rolling his eyes. He still wasn't completely sold on the other guy, but he was getting there.

Provenza shook the marker in his hand at her, "Now listen here. That," he swung his arm toward her office, "is still my view for a few more weeks. Don't get any ideas."

A single, well-sculpted brow rose. "Lieutenant," she drawled carefully, "I do not recall informing you that you could use my office while I was on leave."

His jaw dropped. Provenza drew himself up to his full height while his face began to flush. "Now, just wait a minute…"

Sharon laughed. "Just don't get too attached to the view. I'm going to be wanting it back in a few weeks." She walked around until she had a better look at the white board and tilted her head at it. "What exactly are we betting on?"

"The Lieutenant's check up," Nolan chirped helpfully.

Sharon's brows rose. She knew very well that Andy had an appointment with his cardiologist in a few days, and afterward he would need to meet with HR. Neither of them was expecting his desk-duty limitations to be lifted anytime soon. "Really?" She looked around the room. "I would think that you would be the last person amused by this," she told her husband.

"Well, I was…" He nodded to the board. "But there's only one yes up there and it's got twenty bucks riding on it. So now we're trying to figure out if Buzz gets to be the new _Desk Monkey_ if he's right." His return to the field was beginning to look like the thing that may never happen. He knew the team was just trying to ease his concerns about it.

"Or if that one is going to be our _Desk Monkey_ permanently," Provenza told her.

"Ah." Sharon decided that she wasn't going to get involved. "Well, I may not be actively in charge right now, but I would still like to remind all of you that there is actual work that you could all be doing, even if you don't have an active case right now."

"Oh sure." Provenza grumbled as everyone turned back to the paperwork on their desks. "Sweep in here and spoil all the fun." He put the marker back on the ledge beneath the white board with a flourish. They would just have to pick this discussion up again later, when she wasn't around.

She followed the Lieutenant into her office, only to frown at the sight of files and paperwork stacked on one end of her desk. "The Stroh case is officially closed," She told him, "or it will be as soon as Assistant Chief Mason talks to Chief Pope and the Mayor."

"Well, they took their own sweet time about it," he complained. "What was the hold up? He's dead. I call that pretty closed."

"Our new Assistant Chief was hoping for a tidier ending," she quipped. "He's not fully accustomed to us yet." Sharon shrugged. "He's learning." She studied the paperwork on the desk again. "If you will weed out the current case files, I can take some of that with me."

"If you think I'm going to politely refuse, you've been gone too long." Provenza scowled at the pile. "I think half of that was generated by Lieutenant Desk Monkey all by himself."

"Well, anything worth doing…" Sharon smirked. She knew that as long as Andy was confined to his desk, he was going to delight in piling on the reports. He was beginning to rival Tao for wordiness, and what he lacked in technical jargon, he more than made up for with creative adjectives. "Andy and I have an appointment with the realtor this afternoon. I'll take him with me now. That should give you time to sort through the lot. Pull together anything else that isn't related to an open or recent case and I will take it with me, too." There should be any number of evidence inventory reports, interdepartmental correspondence, and requests from the District Attorney's office for report clarifications or additional information. The work would keep her busy without taxing her recovery.

"Looking at another property?" Provenza sat down behind the desk. He didn't envy them the search. He hated moving. That's why he had lived in his house for so long. The thing would have to burn down around him before he ever considered moving.

"Yes." Sharon sat down across from him with a sigh. It felt a little odd being on this side of the desk. "Why is it so hard to find a decent house in LA?" She shook her head as she crossed her legs. "The yards are too big, or they're too small. There aren't enough bathrooms, the bedrooms are too small, or the stairs are too steep." She waved a hand through the air. "We're only looking for a moderately sized home in a decent neighborhood. I'm beginning to wonder if our realtor thinks he is getting paid by the hour." They had at least managed to find a decent enough apartment to stay in while they looked. They had signed a six-month lease for the two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit in a building in North Hollywood. The commute wasn't pleasant, but Andy reminded her that he used to drive much further before moving in with her.

"It has only been a few weeks," the Lieutenant reminded her. "You spent a few months looking last summer and only found a couple of prospects that you were interested in making offers on. How many places could you have possibly looked at so far?"

Sharon drew a breath and let it out slowly. "Not many, honestly. Two houses, a townhome, and a couple of condos. One of them was downtown, it wasn't terrible, but it was downtown." Neither she nor Andy wanted to live in that part of the city. "I know there's time. I would just like to have it all settled sooner rather than later." She didn't like feeling so displaced. They hadn't sold the condo yet; it had only shown a couple of times since being placed on the market. The news of what had happened there was still too fresh. It would take a few months for people to forget. It didn't matter, the condo would sell eventually. They weren't going to wait for that to happen before purchasing a new home, if they happened to find anything they liked. They had enough in savings from the sell of Andy's house for a decent down payment and they could mortgage the rest.

Provenza didn't say anything right away. Their lives had been turned upside down. It wasn't going to start to feel like they were back in control until that last obstacle was crossed. He knew if their places were reversed he wouldn't be able to live in the condo either, so he couldn't blame them for moving, but even he knew the process was going to take time. "We're not that busy. Take Flynn and get out of here for the rest of the day." He nodded his head toward the stack of files on the desk. "He can bring this stuff to you tomorrow night. It's waited this long, it can wait another day."

A soft smile spread across her face. "Lieutenant, I appreciate the offer, but—"

"Good god, woman. You would be doing me a favor." He waved an arm toward windows, through which Flynn could be seen at his desk, pretending to not be wondering what they were talking about. "He's only going to sit out there and mope anyway. He's done nothing _but_ mope around here for the last few weeks. It's annoying. I could use a break. It isn't enough that the two of you live together, ugh, god, you even married him," he punctuated that statement with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Oh no, the poor fool is walking around here like someone stole his puppy because he has to come to work without you every day. It would be different if I could send him out to canvas a neighborhood, or question a witness, but no," he drew the syllable out and made a face at her, "I'm stuck with him, all day, every day."

Sharon pressed her lips together to try and contain her amusement. Her eyes sparkled at him. "So then, I suppose what you are saying is that all of this extra time that the two of you have been able to spend together has not been beneficial to your relationship?"

He glared at her. "I will personally assign him to a _Badge of Justice_ marathon during our next case if you do not—"

"Now, now," Sharon clucked her tongue at him as she stood. "Let's not forget all of our lessons in civility, Lieutenant. Besides, that would just be cruel." She continued to smirk as she turned toward the door. "We're going." Sharon stopped at the door and looked back. "Thank you, Louie."

"Yeah, yeah," he continued to glower at her as he slumped in his chair. The sound of his annoyed huff followed her out of the office. "Idiots," he muttered.

Sharon and Andy had lunch before driving across town to meet the realtor at their next property appointment. Rusty had already arrived; they found him leaning against the hood of his car. When they joined him, he shook his head. "I'm telling you right now, before you even look at it, this one is going to be a definite _no_."

"Why?" Sharon felt her shoulders slump. The house looked good on paper. Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, formal dining room and den, and a decently sized yard; the sprawling structure had a corner lot and already, just standing there, she liked the look of the shrub lined iron fence. The idea of that much privacy was appealing.

Rusty took his sunglasses off. "You've heard of the Barbie and Ken mansion? Well, this is the post-recession-downgraded, modern-middle-class-suburban love shack." He pushed off his car and walked with them toward the driveway. "I think the neighbors planted the shrubs to protect themselves."

"Oh." Sharon took a step back. She drew her hands to her chest in a full, visceral response to seeing it. "That's…" Her nose wrinkled. "An awful lot of—"

"Pink." Andy sneered at it. "I can't even begin to imagine how you make _pink_ brick." His head tilted. "Who the hell sells pink bricks?"

"The _Lollipop Guild_?" Rusty shook his head at them. "I have no idea. I just know that there's no way that I am living in a pink house." It hurt to even look at it.

"Pink and white," Sharon pointed out, although she could barely bring herself to acknowledge it. She turned away in disgust. "I've seen enough."

Andy's lip curled. He backed away a little more slowly. "I've seen too much," he decided. He shuddered as he turned. "Why would anyone think that someone would buy that? That's it, I've had it, we're firing the dirtbag realtor and hiring another one." He pulled open the passenger door for his wife. "It's pink," he said again, a bit unnecessarily but unable to get it out of his head.

"And white," she pointed out. "It's the candy-striped house." It might have been amusing if it weren't so disturbing. She shuddered again and folded herself into the car. "Let's just leave before he gets here."

"You know, you guys might have better luck just looking on your own." Rusty walked back to his own car. "This realtor thing just hasn't worked out so far."

"Tell me about it." Andy walked around the car to get in. "We might do that. Are you headed back to the apartment?"

"Nah, I've got to get back to work. Hobbs has some pre-trial stuff to do this afternoon. I'll see you tonight though."

"Call if you're going to be late," Andy reminded him. "She worries." He saw Rusty nod, but had a feeling the kid would be rolling his eyes once he was back in his car. As Andy slipped into the driver's seat of his, he gave his wife a long look. "I will do a lot of things for you," he began, tone low, and filled with sincerity, "but the pink house ain't one of them."

She snorted a quiet laugh. "Just drive. I don't even want to check other listings in this neighborhood. I'm afraid we could find something worse."

He didn't have to be told twice. Andy turned the key and put the car in drive. "What? Like Ken's lime green bachelor bungalow?"

Sharon leaned her head back against the seat rest as she laughed. "Well, look on the bright side." The corners of her eyes creased with amusement. "I suppose it could be worse."

"Oh yeah?" Andy slanted a look at her. He wasn't convinced. "How much worse could it get? The candy-striped house that Pepto Inc made for Barbie and Ken was pretty bad, sweetheart."

"It could have also been infested with black mold," she teased, voice happy and high-pitched. His groan made her laugh again. "There has to be at least one property in this city that will fit our needs," she said, as she always did when they had a bad viewing.

"Sure," Andy grunted. "We're just getting all the bad ones out of the way first."

Sharon could only hum in agreement. "Let's talk about something else," she decided. She turned sideways in her seat and folded her hands in her lap. "Why don't you tell me why you're suddenly okay being the butt of everyone's _Desk Monkey_ jokes?" He normally didn't tolerate it. Sharon knew that he wanted to get back into the field, and yet he was suddenly facing his impending denial as though it was nothing.

"I had a feeling you weren't going to let that go." Andy sighed. He shook his head. "I don't know. I guess I'm starting to think that being stuck in the office all the time isn't such a bad thing." He shrugged. "Besides, if they're not going to okay me, there's nothing I can do about it. I've got two choices, keep riding a desk, or turn in my retirement papers. Since I'm not interested in retiring…" He waved a hand in the air, indicating his choice was obvious.

"Andy." Sharon wasn't buying it. There was a large step between resignation and acceptance. He seemed to have reached the latter and she wanted to know what was going on inside his head. "I think you can do better than that," she said gently.

They stopped at a light and he looked at her. "I don't know. I guess…" He looked away again. "If they clear me, I'm going to have to really start thinking about retiring. The kids just lost their mom; they don't need to be worried about losing me too. As long as I'm stuck at my desk," he explained, "they don't have to, and I can keep working."

"Oh Andy." She reached out and clasped his hand in hers. That was not entirely what she was expecting, but she was not surprised. "Why didn't you tell me that you were thinking about retirement?" He hadn't mentioned it at all, not in this sense anyway. He brought it up after his heart attack, but only because he was concerned that he would be forced into retirement.

Andy shrugged. "It's only going to matter if they clear me to get back out into the field. That's not going to happen, Sharon. You and I both know that. Nothing has changed since my last check up. So, I'll just stay back at the PAB and be everyone's Desk Monkey, it's fine." The light changed and he turned his attention back to the road.

She watched him as he drove. He maneuvered through traffic and pointed the car toward North Hollywood. Sharon turned away after a moment. Their careers were their own; they had always maintained that would be necessary. She was still a little perplexed that he hadn't mentioned his current worries. He wasn't wrong. Andy's chances of getting off desk duty were very small. The Department viewed him as a liability so long as his doctor's couldn't say, with absolute certainty, that he wouldn't have another health episode.

"I wish that you had told me," she finally told him, speaking softly. "I can't promise that we can keep you in the division as long as you're tied to a desk, but Andy, I could help."

"You would want to try." Andy reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Sharon… my wife can't pull strings to keep me on her team, and she can't pull them to keep me from being tossed into Fraud, or god almighty, the Commercial Crimes support division." He rolled his eyes heavenward just thinking about it. Those were the two most boring divisions he could think of, where cops like him ended up pushing papers and answering phones.

"No," she said at length, agreeing that she couldn't use their personal relationship to help. "But as your boss, I can make sure that an out-going member of my team is well placed. Andy, as long as we're well staffed, no one is going to make me transfer you. We still need you in the murder room. There is no substitute for your experience, and frankly, as much as you've disliked it, having you there to begin tracking our investigations while the rest of the team is at a crime scene or looking for witnesses has been a huge help. We were able to budget out less support staff and move people around to divisions that needed them. It also increased our overtime pool." He rolled his eyes at her again but she folded her arms across her chest. "I mean it. Besides, you've gotten really good at running down financials. Even Mike can't do it that fast."

Andy cast a wry look at her. "That's because I enjoy it so much," he drawled sarcastically. There was almost nothing that he disliked more than running financial reports. "I guess," he sighed, getting back to the point of their discussion. "I just hate being left behind."

"I know." She reached across and laid her free hand on his forearm. She gave it a soothing rub. Sharon smiled sadly. "It's a feeling I'm a little familiar with." It wasn't easy being the one stuck in the command center, or RACR, while their team was out putting themselves at risk. She had, rather selfishly, gotten used to having him with her during those moments. "Andy, if you really feel like retirement is the best option," she said, "then I want us to sit down and talk about it. I want us to go over all the possibilities, and lay everything out on the table, and when that's done, if you're sure…"

She would support him. He hadn't doubted that. Andy just wasn't ready to give up his badge yet. "Not yet." He looked over at her again. "We're not there yet. I know it's coming, probably in another year, but it's not here yet." They stopped at another light and he took the opportunity to lean over and press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "We should probably talk about it anyway. Looks like I'm a packaged deal now."

"Yes you are," she said with a grin. "That's the part you keep forgetting. I guess I could let you off with a warning this time. Old dogs and new tricks, you understand."

His mouth twisted into a smirk. "Yeah, but I'll play fetch with you anytime." He waggled his brows at her while mischief danced in his eyes.

Sharon shoved him away from her. "It's definitely time for a new analogy. Your comebacks are getting worse." She settled back in her seat, getting comfortable for the remainder of their drive. As they drove past Los Feliz, Sharon felt a chill move down her spine. She exhaled a quiet sigh. It had been almost a month, and still their lives were no closer to being back to normal.

Andy knew the moment that Sharon retreated into her own mind. The air in the car seemed to change. He followed her gaze, looking out the side passenger window, and understood what prompted the shift in her mood when saw the towers standing in the distance. Andy clasped her hand in his again. He laced their fingers together and lifted it to his mouth. His lips were gentle against her skin.

The car kept moving, and soon they couldn't see the building anymore. Sharon pulled her gaze away from the window. She looked at him and smiled sadly. The physical wounds were healing… it was those they couldn't see that would take the most time.

 **-TBC-**


	19. Chapter 19

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

"I think I found you a house."

Andy's back struck the wall of the narrow foyer when he was ushered aside by his son. Charlie strode past him, carrying a folder that he waved for emphasis. Andy's brows rose. He pushed the door closed and turned. "Hi dad, how are you," he said to himself. "Oh, I'm good, son. How's work, I heard you had a tough one last week…"

Charlie stopped in the small living room and turned. They had a nice place, but it was pretty small. It wasn't bad for a temporary living arrangement, though. He rolled his eyes at his dad. "If you and your imaginary friend are done," sarcasm dripped off every word, "I've got something that you might want to see."

"I'm all for bonding," Andy shot back, "but if those are all your old report cards, we're going to have to have a conversation." He moved into the small kitchen where he and Sharon were making dinner. She was still at the counter, but he noticed that she appeared to still be slicing the same tomato that she had in hand when he went to answer the door. His eyes narrowed. Andy peered into the pot of sauce that he was making. "You touched it didn't you?"

Her jaw dropped open. Sharon gave him a wide-eyed look. "I have been standing here the entire time." She leaned to one side to greet their guest. "Hello, Charlie."

"Sharon." He sat down on one of the stools at the small bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. They didn't have a dining room, but rather a breakfast nook that they had shoved a small table into. Most of their belongings, what they didn't immediately need, were all in storage. He laid the folder on the bar in front of him and leaned forward, resting his weight on his elbows.

Andy leaned down and inhaled the aroma that was rising off the sauce. He stirred once and lifted the spoon to his lips. "You did!" He turned and pointed the spoon at his wife. "You added more oregano. I told you not to touch it. I don't believe this."

She shrugged at Charlie before turning back to her husband. "Okay, yes. I put more oregano in it, but only because it doesn't need more garlic, or more salt. It already has quite enough of both of those." She was trying not to smile. He could be quite the martinet when it came to the kitchen. Andy liked things a certain way, and he really didn't like to be _helped_ if he was the one that was doing the cooking.

"I'd feel a lot better about it if you could do more than boil water," he muttered. Andy stirred his sauce again and reached onto the spice rack for a small jar of fresh basil leaves. "Knew better than to trust her alone in the kitchen," he mumbled to himself.

Sharon put the knife down with a loud thud and turned. She folded her arms across her chest and gave her husband a pointed look. "Would you like to repeat that a little louder?" She might not cook often, but she could certainly do better than boiling water. She also operated a mean take-out menu. Her brows rose in askance. "While you're thinking about that, who was it that begged me, that's right Andrew, _begged me_ to bake a chicken and roast vegetables last week because he loves it so much? Was that you or my other husband?"

"Wow." Charlie laughed at the two of them. "I guess the honeymoon is definitely over, huh? That didn't take long." He wasn't as accustomed to the banter as the others were, but he had to admit, the two of them were pretty amusing when they got going.

"Didn't you say that you have something to show us?" Andy asked, wanting to cut off his son before he could put his foot in it, and distract his wife before she could sentence him to sleeping on the sofa.

"Right." Charlie opened the folder that he brought with him. "I think I found you a house," he repeated. "Or rather, I think one of Jake's partners found you a house." He took out a sheet of paper and held it across the bar. "I didn't plan on staying in the place that I'm renting for long, and the upside of having a stepdad with a real estate business is that you can get your closing costs seriously reduced. Steve…" He trailed off and grinned crookedly at his dad. "You remember Steve, don't you? Anyway, Steve found this."

Andy took the paper and turned it toward him. He read over it quickly. His brows shot into his hairline. "If this is for you, then why are you showing it to us?" It definitely looked like a great place. Andy passed the paper to Sharon. "It's not bad, huh?"

She leaned her hip against the counter as she studied it. The listing was for a townhouse in Santa Monica. It was a beachfront property, two stories, but from the description the master suite was downstairs, while the other two bedrooms and a second bathroom were upstairs. "Living room, formal den, dining room, and a half bath…" Her lips pursed. She looked up at Charlie. "It's terrific, but I don't understand. Why aren't you considering it?"

"It's outside my price range." Charlie shrugged. "I don't mind having that much space, and I could take on a couple of roommates, but I was looking for something a little more affordable. I told Steve that I was thinking about it. I tried to get Nicole to take it too, but she and Dean are convinced they need a yard. Since they won't take it, and I can't afford it, you've got to buy it." He smirked at them. "You wanted me to hang around more often? Well, buy that, and I will."

Andy rolled his eyes at his wife. "Do you hear this? This is what we've got to put up with in our advancing ages." He shook his head and turned back to the stove.

"The only place you're going to be advancing," Sharon drawled sweetly, "is onto the balcony to sleep."

He grimaced. The balcony was smaller than the couch. "Yes dear." Andy busied himself with stirring the sauce and keeping his mouth closed.

She continued to study the listing. "It definitely sounds feasible, but we haven't discussed living at the beach. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look at it." The house was at the upper end of their price range, but it wasn't outside of it. They had talked about townhomes, and had even looked at a few. They would have a slightly longer commute than they had before, but it wouldn't be a terrible drive. Sharon turned to Andy and shrugged. "What do you think?"

"Let's look at it," he told her. "It sounds nice. It's got the space that we talked about. The beach isn't bad, as long as it's far enough from Venice Beach to get away from the twenty-something and college crowd."

"Hm." Sharon studied the address. She walked over to the bar and picked up her phone. It took her a minute to get it inputted. "This is north of the pier," she said. "A few blocks north, from the looks of it. That isn't a bad location." She looked up at Jake again. "You said that Jake's company is handling the property?"

"Yep." Charlie flashed a wide grin at them. "It's not going to be a Barbie dream house, but it'll probably be pretty nice."

Andy pointed his spoon at his son. "Candy-striped Barbie dream house," he said, "get it right." It had been a couple of weeks since they had narrowly escaped that horror. Tales of it had spread pretty quickly, thanks to Rusty. It was going down as warning for all future house hunters.

"Would you stop doing that?" Sharon took the spoon away from him and placed it back in the pot. "I would like to get the security deposit back when we eventually move out. That's not going to happen if you keep slinging red sauce everywhere."

He just stared at her, his annoyance obvious. "Look," Andy began, "I'll write you a check for the damned deposit if you will stop touching my sauce!" He picked up the pot and moved it to the burner farthest away from her, which… truthfully… didn't move it very far.

As they faced off in the very small kitchen, Charlie shook his head. "Yeah, we gotta get you two out of here." He waved a hand at them and the tiny space, "this is just not working."

"Tell me about it," Andy muttered. He watched his wife take a bottle of wine out of the fridge and pull two wine glasses down. "I thought you were making a salad?" He waved a hand at the half-chopped vegetables that were left on the counter and chopping block.

"Well, I wouldn't want to over boil it," she said, in a tone that was entirely too sweet, "make your own salad." Sharon rounded the bar and left the kitchen. "Charlie, you're going to stay for dinner, aren't you?" She carried the wine and glasses to the small table in the dining nook and set them there so that she could pour.

"I'm afraid to leave the two of you alone," he quipped. "There will either be a domestic called in by your neighbors, or someone will end up breaking a hip…" He smirked as he walked over and joined her at the table. There was a sliding door beside. "Wow," he looked out the glass. "You call this a balcony?"

"Unfortunately." Sharon sighed. "It's really not a _bad_ space," she explained, "but I suppose I'm just used to a little something… different. Rusty is upstairs in the loft, and he has his own bathroom, but we're all a little cramped in here."

After she handed him the wine, Charlie waited for her to sit down before he joined her. "Have you wondered if maybe you should have stayed at the other place? At least until you found something else?"

"I thought about it," she admitted quietly, "but it wasn't going to be possible. I've been back to the condo a few times, Charlie, and it just wasn't a good experience. Not only for me. I couldn't ask Rusty or your dad to stay there either, I know they felt the same way." Then there were their other children to worry about. It was all a mess, but no one said that healing was easy. "It was better this way. We just have to keep telling ourselves that this is only temporary and it can only get better."

"Where the hell is the damned salad bowl?" Andy slammed one cabinet and opened another.

"For example." She rolled her eyes heavenward. Sharon got up and walked into the kitchen. With a flourish she opened the cabinet beside the pantry and took the bowl out. She smacked it against his chest with a smile. "Do you need anything else, dear?"

He looked up from the bowl with a slightly puzzled, somewhat bemused expression. "I thought we put all the big bowls over there?" He jerked his head toward the cabinet that was between the fridge and the wall.

"We did." Sharon clasped her hands in front of her. She rocked back on her heels while her smile brightened. "I moved them." She walked around him and left the kitchen again.

Andy put the bowl down on the counter and walked over to lean against the bar so he could peer out into the dining area. "How am I supposed to be able to find anything around here if you keep moving it all?"

"You ask… nicely… and I will tell you." Sharon sat down and lifted her wine again. "I told you this would happen. I did the same thing when I moved into the condo. I will probably do it when we move into whatever home that we settle on. I'll move it all around until it feels right." She took a sip of her wine as she settled comfortably in her chair.

"Until it feels right?" Andy shook his head. "Are you sure that's what it is? Or are you just trying to drive me crazy?"

"Oh honey." She clucked her tongue at him. Sharon laughed happily. "That would be hard to do. You're already there." His eyes narrowed and she laughed again. "Oh stop being a grump. Charlie came to visit and he's staying for dinner." Her gaze moved back to his son. "I have got to get back to work," she said, "he's only been like this while I've been on medical leave. I know the problem is the fact that he and that partner are stuck together all day and there's no one there to provide a suitable buffer."

"I thought that's what you said Julio was for?" He called from the kitchen.

"No," Sharon replied, drawing the syllable out because she knew that _he_ knew better. "Julio is for locking the two of you in separate rooms when you both start picking on Buzz!"

"Oh for…" Andy's head poked out of the kitchen. "I was not picking on Buzz!" He glared at her. "I wasn't part of that at all. I wasn't even there when it happened. I told Provenza to knock it off when I got back."

"Then the two of you got into an argument," Sharon pointed a finger at him. "I know exactly what happened." She sent a beseeching look toward Charlie, even though there was nothing that he could do to help her. "I _really_ have to go back to work."

"Yeah and maybe you'll have less time to rearrange the kitchen if you do," Andy muttered as he disappeared again.

"You're going out of your mind with boredom, aren't you?" Charlie smiled at her. It had been just over a month now. He couldn't imagine that she would be on leave much longer, but figured she had to be at the end of her patience with it.

"You have no idea." Sharon rubbed her forehead. "One more week," she told him. "Just one more week and I can meet with Behavioral Sciences and then get back to doing more than two hours of paperwork a day."

"Because she hasn't been cleared yet," Andy carried the salad and a plate of garlic bread out to place on the table, "we can't let her get involved in any of our cases, even from here. Normally, by now, we would have Skyped her in." Even if that wasn't necessarily allowed, there was no reason she couldn't be involved as long as it wasn't physically strenuous. "Damned rulebook. I wonder who wrote it… oh, right." He winked at his wife.

"The time off has given me the opportunity to get caught up on a few novels, look at real estate listings, and even property values," Sharon explained, "but that only goes so far. I tried to get caught up on a few television shows… but everything on television these days is either a police show, a medical drama, or reality TV. None of which particularly interest me. The most enjoyment I get out of the day is plotting where I am going to move your dad's ties to because at least watching him look for them every morning takes up a little of my time."

At the look on Charlie's face, Andy snorted. "She's kidding. It hasn't come to that yet." He frowned as his gaze dropped. "Has it?"

"I guess you'll find out in the morning," she drawled.

"One more week," Andy repeated as he went back into the kitchen. "Just one more week."

Charlie leaned back in his seat. He decided that they amused him. Before the night that Phillip Stroh turned all of their lives upside down, he didn't really know what his father's relationship with Sharon was like. His time with his dad was limited. That was something that was changing now. Deep down Charlie didn't know if he really trusted him, but he was trying to get to that place. He felt like he knew him better now, and the counselor that he was seeing said that was a good place to start.

He was a little skeptical about seeing a shrink at first. Charlie only went because Nicole asked him to. They were both seeing the same therapist they had done family counseling with a few years before. They had joint sessions, and they were both going separately too. It was helping them both to work through their grief at losing their mother. It was also helping with the anger.

Neither of them wanted to blame Rusty, or Sharon, or even their dad. The only person at fault was the psychopath that had broken into Sharon and his dad's place. Intellectually they both knew that from the beginning. It was the emotional that was hard to predict or control. Sharon might have taken the physical beating that night, and their mom may have died, but they were all victims of that particular event. That was something that Charlie had a hard time recognizing and accepting at first. He had a difficult time seeing himself as a victim; he was a cop, it was his job to catch the psychos and dirtbags that hurt others. He couldn't see his dad like that either, for some of the same reasons, but primarily because his feelings about his dad were buried beneath layers of anger and disappointment. Charlie had been working with the therapist in their separate sessions to peel all of that away, to separate his past with his dad from the present. It was helping.

Sharon was so intent on being on the offensive from the moment that she woke up following the attack that Charlie didn't really think of her like that either. Of course, she was also pretty badass, and it also went without saying that the words _Commander Raydor_ and _victim_ just did not belong in the same statement. Once he began thinking of her as his stepmom, without the reputation he was learning about at the LAPD, then he could see her injuries too, and not only the physical ones.

It all brought him back around to his dad. They were revolving thoughts. When he thought of Sharon, he inevitably thought of his dad, and that took him back to his mom. It would have been crazy-making if Nicole had not dragged him to therapy with her. All of it had resulted in his being more involved. That meant that he saw his dad more often, and because of that, he saw his dad _with_ Sharon. They amused him, he thought again.

Charlie wondered if this was what people meant when they referred to an _old married couple_. Not because of their age, but because they seemed to know each other so well that it gave the appearance that they had been together a long time. Like they weren't just two souls, but a single, really wise one. It was either that or the few sips of wine that he had were already going to his head.

While he was lost in thought, his attention drifted to the shelf that was standing in the corner of the room. There were books and knick-knacks lining the shelves. Charlie's head inclined. He pointed at it with the hand that was holding his wine. "Is that case crooked?"

Andy had returned to the dining room with a stack of plates. He grunted as he placed them on the table. "It's fine," he grumbled.

Sharon tried to hide her amusement behind her wine glass, but her eyes were sparkling with barely contained laughter. "It's not entirely level, no." She wiped a drop of wine from the corner of her lip and turned her head to gaze at the shelf. "We picked it up at Ikea last weekend. Your dad put it together."

"Oh." Charlie wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. The old man was glaring at them. "It's…. nice," he finally decided.

"It's idiotic _Jenga_ bullshit," Andy declared with a curled lip. "The instructions were barely decipherable, the hardware didn't entirely fit, and the damned thing fell apart twice." He waved a hand at it and stalked back into the kitchen for cutlery and water glasses.

"To be fair," Sharon said, "he was interrupted a few times while he was putting it together." What she wouldn't mention was that shewas the one interrupting him, and exactly _how_ she had done that. She smiled into her wine glass again. That afternoon had been rather enjoyable.

Her look said it all. Charlie looked away with a grimace. "Remind me never to ask. Frankly, I'm impressed he made a _Jenga_ reference. I was expecting him to go with something like… _Lincoln Logs_. I mean, I'm assuming that he's not older than those."

"Well," Sharon waited for Andy to return to the table, "if by _Lincoln Logs_ you mean the sticks he found in the yard…"

Andy pointed a finger at her. "You're not funny." He placed the water pitcher and glasses in the center of the table and then he rested a hand on the back of her chair and leaned down until they were at eyelevel. "Just remember," he rumbled quietly, " you're not that—"

Sharon placed a finger against his lips. "That is not a statement that you want to finish," she warned him. She tapped his mouth with her finger and winked at him.

"You drive me crazy," he told her.

She tipped her head back and smiled brightly. "Oh, that is absolutely mutual, I promise."

"As long as we're still on the same page." Andy kissed her forehead before he straightened. "Pasta is ready. Charlie, can you set the table?" He waved at the plates and cutlery as he turned to go back into the kitchen.

It wasn't until they were seated and dinner served that Sharon decided to broach the topic of a small elephant in the room. "How is Jake?" She asked her stepson. "You mentioned that his partners were helping you look for a new place to live?"

"Yeah." Charlie's gaze dropped to his water glass. He toyed with the rim of it. "Jake is… I don't know. He's taking some time off work. He was okay while the family and everything was in town. Now it's just him, alone in that house. Nikki and I have gone by several times, and she's had him to the house for dinner, but he's just not up to it yet. You know? He's quiet when we're around. I get it," Charlie looked up at his stepmother. "They were together for a long time, and losing her like that just…" He trailed off, unable to really put it into words.

"You plan to spend the rest of your life with someone," she said, "then suddenly they're gone and you're alone. I imagine that it must be very difficult. You lost your mother and he's lost his partner, the two aren't really comparable, but you're all hurting."

"The therapist that Nic and I are seeing says that it doesn't matter when it happens, it's always hard to lose someone, earlier or later doesn't mean anything in the grieving process. The thing is, we're hardwired to know that someday we may have to make it without our parents, you know? Like, it's just there, in the back of our heads. We know that it will happen. Our lives will still go on. We have partners, and kids, and careers. It doesn't mean that it's easier for us, but we have to give Jake time to figure out how to be alone. He was part of a unit that's broken now." Charlie shook his head. "God, I almost caught myself calling her the other day. I stopped when I picked up my phone because I remembered. Nikki calls her phone just to hear her voicemail message. Most of the time, anyway. I think she forgets too. It's rough, but I know mom. I know she'd be kicking us both in the butt if we just stopped and made everything about her being gone."

"It's only been a few weeks," Andy reminded him. "I'm sure the shrink is right. All you can do is keep being there. Right now it's not going to feel like there's any reason for him to crawl out of his pain, but he will." He was seated beside Sharon. He laid an arm across the back of her chair. His fingers toyed with the ends of her hair. "He's gotta be pretty wrecked. I know I would be."

"Hm." Sharon hummed as she laid a hand on his leg. She rubbed his thigh as they shared a look. There had been too many close calls in the last year or so. She had almost lost him a few times, and the heart attack had really driven home for her just how little time they may have together. "I think when he can remember what he still has, he will be okay. Like we said, it's just a process."

"Yeah," Andy didn't look away from her. "But it'll never be the same. He's always gonna hurt for her. It'll be with him every day." He spoke quietly, voice thick and rasping with emotion. Andy didn't know that he would still be standing if he were in Jake's shoes. Granted, he and Sharon didn't have twenty years of history or marriage, but he didn't believe that really mattered. He would still be completely undone without her.

"He'll go on because he has to; because she expects that of him," Sharon replied. She rubbed his thigh again, and finally pulled her gaze away. When she looked at Charlie again, her eyes were moist and bright. "He's going to go on because he's needed. Jake has his sons, and then you and Nicole. A part of him will be missing. Just give him time."

Charlie was pretty sure that he was just a bystander in this conversation now. The room had gotten a little heavy. He pushed pasta around on his plate for a moment. There was a lot of emotion around that table, and little of it was about him. "Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it," he said. "You date, meet someone, jump through all the hoops getting to know them, and then one day you wake up and it's gone."

"It's worth it." When she looked at him again, Andy grinned. His thumb stroked the side of her neck. "It's never going to feel like enough time, but it'll always be worth it."

Her hand lifted and she stroked the curve of his jaw with the backs of her fingers. "What I have found," she said to Charlie, "is that in any relationship, it doesn't feel like enough. When you lose someone that you love, or if you're on the cusp of losing someone that you love, you automatically begin to think of all the things that you didn't get. The moments that were lost, because of timing or other decisions, but it makes everything else feel so much more precious. It's worth it, Charlie."

"Are you sure that you're not just saying that because you hooked up with a guy that's prone to falling down a lot?" Charlie smirked at her.

"Hey." Andy scowled at him. " _Hooked up_?"

"No," She laughed. "Actually, I was thinking about my son too. Rusty came to me late, and while I missed his childhood, I've had to remind myself that he's here now, and that is _because_ I missed out on all of those years." She paused for a moment and glanced at the man beside her. "Then there's your dad. It's a huge factor for us too. The heart attack was a frightening experience. Yes, I spent a lot of time thinking that I _just_ found him and now…" She shrugged. Sharon didn't want to finish the statement. She didn't like thinking about what could have occurred. That first twenty-four hours after he collapsed was a whirlwind of emotion, fear and grief, and filled with so much prayer and hope. She honestly couldn't recall all of it. She had functioned on autopilot. Those first hours were lost to her, but they were here now, and despite everything that followed and her own hospitalization, they had made it. "Now is what I've got," she said finally, "even when he is infuriating."

" _Hooked up_?" Andy was stuck on that point. "What is that anyway? Like we're twenty and I'm all, hey baby do you wanna…"

Sharon rolled her eyes heavenward. She pressed her lips together, but they trembled as she struggled to control her amusement. "Let it go." She shook her head slowly. "Just let it go, honey."

He resettled in his chair with a huff. Andy was still muttering under his breath as he reached for the water pitcher at the center of the table and topped off their glasses. "With that attitude, it's no wonder that he's still single," he mumbled.

"Well, rumor has it," Charlie fired back, "I am my father's son, so it's going to take me a few decades to grow up…"

"Oh god," Sharon whispered. She closed her eyes and sat back in her chair. Here they went. She pressed her fingers against her lips and waited for the inevitable argument to begin. It could go on all night, the two of them poking at one another. She folded her arms across her chest and sighed quietly. It was amusing to watch, those two men who were so alike in so many ways. They were stumbling across a divide that was getting smaller every day. Sharon settled in and got comfortable, it was going to be quite an evening.

 **-TBC-**


	20. Chapter 20

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

"What do you think?"

Andy pushed his hands into his pockets and looked around. He liked the townhouse; it was the beach that gave him pause. They would have plenty of space in the two-story structure. There was hardwood flooring throughout, and ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. The three upstairs bedrooms might be a little excessive for them, but Sharon suggested they turn one of them into an office. Rusty would get the largest of the three rooms, the one at the northwest corner that had a good view of the beach.

They had both liked the open floor plan of the downstairs. The kitchen was only separated from the family room by an angular breakfast bar. It opened into a large breakfast area with patio doors that led out onto a wooden deck. There was a half bath for guests and a formal dining room. The south side of the house was comprised almost entirely of the master suite. It also opened onto the deck, which had built in benches around a central fire pit. They could step off the deck and right onto the beach. There would be a lot of natural light and fresh air.

"It's nice," he answered with a shrug. They had stepped out to discuss it while the realtor took a call from another client. "It's got a lot of space. That will be good for the kids. Not much of a yard…" There was a small patch of grass in front of the house, but carefully landscaped flowerbeds primarily took up the space. It would be easy enough to take care of. They wouldn't have to worry about a lot of yard work. There was an attached two-car garage, and Rusty could park in the driveway or on the street. "The kids will probably love it."

Sharon heard some hesitation in his tone. She folded her arms across her chest and stared at him. "Yes," she said at length, "but what do _you_ think. We wouldn't be buying this for the kids. We'd be buying it for us." The view was nice. She could see them sitting here, watching the sunset. They liked to take long walks on the beach, so the location was convenient. She wasn't entirely convinced that it was practical for them, however, even if she did like the layout and design of the house.

Andy sighed. He scratched his forehead with his thumb. "I'm not sold on the beach," he admitted. "Twenty years ago, sure, I'd have already suggested we make an offer on it. I don't mind driving up the coast with you for the weekend, but…"

"Living out here full time doesn't have the same appeal," she agreed. "Then we'll keep looking," Sharon added with a shrug. "It is a really nice house, though."

"If you like it," he told her, "I can love it." Ultimately, home was where she was, and if she was completely fixed on this one, Andy could deal with that.

"No." Sharon reached out and ran her hand down the length of his tie. She gave it a playful tug. "It's not just about me. Besides, I agree with you. I like the house, but the location isn't ideal. It's a nice section of beach, but…" Privacy would still be an issue. Sharon didn't want to feel like she was on display, even to their neighbors.

Andy turned where he was standing and looked up at the house. "You know, I can't believe there's nothing else like it in the city. Maybe if we limit our search specifically to townhouses we'll find something we like in a spot that works."

"That isn't a bad idea." Sharon slipped an arm through his and leaned against his side. "I really like the deck," she added with a small smile, and a slightly wistful tone.

"You miss your balcony." Andy kissed the top of her head. He had to admit, he missed the view they had at the condo too. He sighed again when he felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He swore when he pulled it out. "I'm going to have to go. We caught a case."

"No." Sharon's hand curled into the lapel of his jacket. Her lips turned down. "You're going to leave me alone with the realtor _now_?" She clucked her tongue at him. "I suppose I should just look at the next property by myself? Is this how it's going to be…"

He rolled his eyes when she snorted a laugh. "Couldn't wait to use that, could you?"

"Hm." She shrugged at him. Sharon's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I might have liked it a lot more if I didn't know what it felt like being on that side… and if I wasn't itching to go with you." She tugged on his jacket. "Next week." It had become a mantra, reminding themselves how little time remained until she was back at work.

"Days," Andy reminded her. "It's just a few days." He pressed a kiss to her mouth. "Want me to take you home?"

"No, that will take too long. It will take you forever to get downtown this time of day if we go to North Hollywood first. Take the car," she told him, "I'll call a _Lyft_ when the realtor and I finish here."

"No." He wasn't going to leave her stranded, on that he wouldn't budge. "I'll call a car. I can get a ride with Rusty or one of the guys later." If all else failed, he would get patrol to drop him off.

" _Andy_." Sharon shook her head at him. It was another of those _boring macho_ habits of his. She smiled. He could be so very stubborn, and she knew they didn't have time to debate it. Sharon tugged on his tie again. "Thank you. Call me later?"

"You betcha." He kissed her again. "I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I get briefed." She couldn't work the cases with them, but he was keeping her updated. She was helping where she could, providing ideas and a sounding board. Provenza didn't like being stuck in the office, so Andy was taking care of a lot of the tasks that Sharon would handle if she was back on duty.

She walked with him to the front of the house and waited the few minutes it took for a car to pick him up. She waved as it pulled away and turned back toward the house with a sigh. It was an odd feeling, being the one left behind. He would text her soon, but it wasn't quite the same as being directly involved. She felt as though she had surpassed the simple _stir crazy_ feeling some time ago and moved directly into _losing her mind_. Sharon walked back into the house. To combat the boredom she decided that the least she could do was find them a new home.

She found the realtor in the kitchen. Sharon smiled when Steve looked up from his phone. The property was being managed by Clayton and Associates, and even with his and Andy's somewhat strained relationship, Charlie's dad had rated having one of the partners show them the townhouse. "I'm afraid Andy was needed at work," she explained, "but we had an opportunity to discuss it before he left," she gestured at the space around them.

He had been in this business for better than thirty years, and Steve Tarrant could read a client, sometimes better than they could read themselves. "You don't like it." They hadn't seemed as enthused about the place as he and Charlie thought they might be. "That's too bad," he told her, "it's a really great location." Steve's head inclined. "Charlie told you that the firm would wave some of our fees, and we could extend the friends and family discount in other areas, didn't he?"

"He did." Sharon could sense a negotiation stirring. She clasped her hands in front of her and took a step forward. "It isn't the cost. The house itself is lovely," she assured him. "The problem is actually the location. We just aren't interested in living at the beach." Sharon moved around the kitchen. She really did like the space, and the open and airy feel to it. She came to a stop across from him, with the bar between them, and placed her hands on the granite counter surface. "Actually, Andy and I would be interested in looking at other properties, like this one, if your firm happens to have them listed." Sharon glanced toward the floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the beach. "Something with a little more privacy, maybe?"

"Just not at the beach." Steve nodded slowly. "I see what you're saying." When recent history was factored into their considerations, along with the public nature of their work, this particular location was a little exposed. As he understood it, they were also coming out of a property in a high rise, which in itself would have provided a good deal of privacy. Steve turned to his open Macbook, the reason that he was using the kitchen for the call while letting Sharon and Andy wander the unfurnished house on their own. "I know Lieutenant Flynn had to go back to work, but do you have some time to discuss property preferences today?"

"I do, actually." Sharon nodded once. "But I hate to take up more of your time. To be honest, we weren't sold on the location before we looked at the house today, but we told Charlie that we would at least see it..."

"It was worth a shot," he shrugged. "As for my time, I told Charlie that I would give you the afternoon."

"You've worked with Jake for a long time," she observed. "Charlie mentioned that some of his stepfather's partners were old family friends?"

"Yeah, Jake and I started out at the same time. When he went into business for himself, he brought me over with him. I've known Jake since before he met Vicki." Steven grew somber. "I watched those kids grow up. I was a little surprised when Charlie came to me for his dad, you know? There's a lot of history there. Jake told me when they found out Andy was getting re-married that things had been better the last five years or so." He was typing while he spoke. "I don't know how well you know the kids. Charlie doesn't ask for favors." He looked up at her and smiled. "He did this time, so that had to mean something."

Sharon could easily detect the protective streak that was hovering in the air between them. "I am very fond of Charlie. His relationship with his father is complicated, but yes, it has gotten better in recent years." Her head inclined; Sharon chose her words carefully. She wasn't comfortable discussing family issues with a stranger, even one who knew her stepson better than she did. "It has been a difficult two years for Charlie and Nicole, where their parents are concerned. Their concern for Andy in light of his health issues has helped to bridge much of the gap that remained between them, but none of us expected to lose Vicki. She was…" Sharon trailed off when her voice hitched. "She was a very special lady."

"Yes she was." Steve looked down for a moment. He shook his head. The conversation had become far too heavy for a business meeting. "In any case," he said, "those kids get whatever they want, and neither of them wants their dad to be homeless, so..." He turned his computer toward her. "How do you feel about Silver Lake?"

Her gaze was averted to the screen. He had pulled up a page of listings, but highlighted a detached townhouse that looked very similar to the one they were standing in. "We are very okay with Silver Lake." Sharon leaned down to get a closer look. "Except for the obvious design differences because it's in the hills around the lake, that could easily be this house."

"This one went up in 2014," he told her, "but between 2010 and 2015 the builders responsible put up several more around the city. They also constructed some duplexes down in Venice Beach, and a small condominium complex closer to downtown. Our firm represents the leasing company that rents the condos and beach units. The townhouses were sold. They're popular among the twenty and thirty crowd," he rolled his eyes. "They want to own, so they invest, but these properties aren't really conducive to young families." Steven pulled up the photos of the lot. There wasn't a lot of yard. Like with the Santa Monica house, the front yard was well manicured, but landscaped. It would be easily maintained. The backyard was also landscaped, but with a pool as it's center piece. The patio was stone, which also bordered the pool. There was a tall privacy fence surrounding the yard, and what greenery existed was in the form of desert plants and tropical flowers that had been laid around the fence. "Three bedrooms, three full baths, instead of the half, and the same two car garage. You're losing a bedroom, but the kitchen and family room are both larger."

Sharon reached for the computer's track pad, but stopped herself at the last minute. "May I?" When he nodded, she began scrolling through the pictures of the townhouse's interior. Another difference was the upstairs master bedroom. One of the three bedrooms was downstairs, behind the kitchen, but it would still make an acceptable guestroom for when Ricky or Emily visited. The master suite opened onto a deck that appeared to be built over the garage, and had a staircase that led down to the backyard and patio. "This is beautiful," she told him. There was no fire pit, but the deck did have the built in benches. There would also be room for a table and chairs, and likely a chaise. They wouldn't have the view they had from her condo, but it would still be lovely. Sharon didn't like the pale blue walls, they reminded her too much of the Murder Room, but that was easily fixed. She straightened after a few minutes. "What is the asking price?"

Steven reached over and pulled up the page that listed the square footage, property taxes, and listing price. "We'll wave our fees, so that will be reduced. You'll still be responsible for the mortgage closing costs, but that's the full price."

"Really?" Her brows rose in surprise. It was more reasonable than she expected and on par with other properties they had looked at in the surrounding area. "When can we see it?"

"I can show it to you this afternoon," Steve told her. "I'm sure your husband will want to see it too, and we can arrange another viewing, but if you'd like to see it today…" he spread his hands in front of him. He was still going to make a commission off the sale, he wouldn't mind showing it twice, even to a _family acquaintance_.

"Hm." Sharon drew back while she considered it. She would very much like to see it, but he was right. She couldn't make a decision without Andy, no matter how much she may personally like it. If nothing else, she could take pictures with her phone and send them to him. He would get an idea of it before they returned to look at it together. "Okay," she decided. "Let's go have a look."

Sharon spent the remainder of the afternoon looking at properties in Silver Lake. The townhouse was an immediate favorite, but responsibly, she decided to look at other listings that Steve had in the area. There was a very nice modern ranch-style home that Sharon liked, and took several pictures of, as well as a condo that she put near the top of her mental list of possibilities. The townhouse was still at the top of that list, however.

She was picking up dinner when Andy finally sent her the text that she expected. The team had picked up a triple homicide in Inglewood, a family killed execution style and left to be found by a neighbor. Andy was left in the office, looking up financials and tracking down family members while the rest of their squad was still questioning neighbors. After they had traded a few details about the case, she sent him the pictures of the townhouse.

" _I want it_." She wrote in the text, and also sent a link to the real estate listing.

He was understandably busy, so it was a while before he was able to respond again. " _We're gonna have to paint the walls. The den reminds me of your office._ "

Sharon was seated on the sofa in their apartment by that point, a book on her lap while she gazed out the sliding glass door. She was already thinking about that deck and how nice it would be to sit outside again. The iron and concrete ledge outside the door was called a balcony, but Sharon wouldn't use it. It was just too narrow. She smiled at her phone when she read the text. " _You need to go see it with me first._ "

" _Make an offer._ " Andy told her. " _We'll paint the walls before we move in_."

" _Don't you think that you should see it first_?" Sharon laughed at his enthusiasm. She knew he wasn't happy with the apartment and just wanted their house search to be over. He was impetuous at times, but as much as she really liked the townhouse, she didn't want him to regret the decision later. They were buying it _together_ , it had to be a home they would both want and enjoy.

" _You like it. That's good enough for me. It looks like the other one. I like the pool."_ Sharon tossed her phone onto the cushion beside her with a groan and an eye roll when he added a goofy looking emoji and typed, _"and that privacy fence._ "

She sat with her arms folded across her chest, silently shaking her head at him. There was no doubt in her mind what he was thinking. He was incorrigible. Amusing, but completely incorrigible; he was also on duty, and despite anything else that might have changed for them over the last couple of months, Sharon could not ignore that fact. She huffed a sigh before she reached for her phone again. " _Go back to work, Lieutenant_." The sad emoji he responded with prompted her to roll her eyes at him again.

She didn't hear from him again, but Sharon didn't expect to. Andy would have taken her warning for what it was, and put his attention back on the case. She did send an email to Mister Tarrant with an offer on the Silver Lake townhouse; the remainder of the paperwork would need to be taken care of the following day, but they were certainly interested in purchasing it.

A few weeks ago, Sharon would have enjoyed the solitude of her evening. Rusty wasn't planning on being home until very late, and with a new case, she knew that she might not see Andy again until morning, and only in passing. She would have spent the evening with a glass of wine and a long soak in the tub. Sharon considered doing that anyway. She stood in the entrance to the bathroom, glass of wine in hand while she stared at the tub. She felt her heart rate increasing as she took a step further into the room. Sharon adjusted her grip on the wine glass. She drew a breath and rubbed her lips together before exhaling quietly.

It was only a bathtub, and while she told herself that her fear had a basis, she also reminded herself that it was irrational. The reason for the images trying to play out through her mind was gone. That threat was completely eliminated. She pulled the trigger for it herself. It didn't stop her hand from shaking as she plugged the tub and turned on the faucet. She set the water hot, hotter than she would normally prefer, and drew back to undress.

She was ignoring thoughts, sounds and images, as she placed her wine glass on the vanity and disrobed. In the mirror she could see the marks left behind. There was a curving, pink line that stretched across her torso beneath her right breast. Sharon turned and reached out to push the bathroom door closed. She stared at herself in the full-length mirror that now faced her. Her gaze traveled lower, past her hips and thighs, to the pale lines that stood out against her calves and knees. Andy tried to tell her that they were barely noticeable now, and the lines would continue to fade with time, but she saw him, in those moments when he didn't think that he was being watched. She saw the pain in his eyes, the regret and the guilt. He still blamed himself for that night, as irrational as they both knew that it was, he carried the guilt for leaving her alone, for not being there to save her or his ex-wife.

Sharon pulled her gaze away from the mirror. She twisted her hair into a bun and clipped it in place. He was going to more meetings than she had ever known him to attend. It was as she had told his son a few weeks ago, she trusted him to take care of himself. Sharon just hated that he wouldn't let her help him with this. He didn't want to burden her with his guilt, or his sorrow. He came home late a few nights a week instead, he had hushed phone conversations with his sponsor out on that tiny ledge they called a balcony, and he went to counseling with Nicole and Charlie once a week as his work schedule permitted.

That wasn't to say they hadn't talked about that night, or the days that followed. He listened as she recounted her fears, and the nightmarish images that haunted her dreams. They talked through her guilt, through fear and anger, frustration at how their lives had changed. His need to protect her was at war with his knowledge that she did not want to be protected, and at the same time, she took comfort in his caring for her. Sharon had spoken to a trauma counselor twice in the past several weeks, and she had found solace in church and confession.

While she studied the rising level of the water in the tub, she acknowledged that Andy would probably be upset that she was doing this now, while she was alone. That upset would be deeply rooted in his worry for her, but that was exactly why _now_ was the perfect moment. There was no one there to bear the burden of her fear, to be weighted down with concern at the tears burning in her eyes. She was frustrated with herself, but determined to move forward and continue putting the trauma of that night behind her.

She was only days from returning to work, and Sharon fully intended to have this done by the time she was seated in her office again. She wouldn't be immediately healed, but she would not allow the dark cloud of fear and grief to continue hanging over her head.

She nodded to herself, as though to confirm her decision, and reached for the dark, glass bottle of bath oil on the ledge beside the tub. It was a replacement for the bottle of oil that was broken the night she was attacked. The scent was her favorite and could only be found in a small boutique downtown. Andy bought it after they moved in, and quietly placed it beside the tub, just in case she had need or a desire for it. He had hope that she would arrive at this moment, given enough time. Sharon added the oil to the water and sat on the edge of the tub. She dipped a hand into the water, sighing quietly as the heat stung her skin, and drew her hand slowly through the water to mix it.

After another minute, she turned off the faucet and stood. She placed the bottle of oil back on the ledge and drew a deep breath. With her eyes closed, she placed a single foot into the water. Pain traveled along her nerve endings. She breathed slowly through her nose and stepped fully into the tub. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, and bracing herself carefully against the edges of the tub, she lowered herself into the water. There was a moment when her chest clenched and her stomach twisted, but she wrapped her arms around her knees and sat there. Sharon lowered her face and pressed it against the tops of her knees. Her breaths came slowly, measured and counted until she felt her heart rate slowing. The sting from the water began to fade as she grew accustomed to the heat. She rubbed her hands up and down her calves, and as she slowly relaxed, she lowered her legs and lifted her head.

Sharon lay back in the tub. She allowed the heat to surround her. Tension flowed out of her muscles while she stared at the ceiling above her. Steam had filled the room. She watched wisps of it swirl in the air. Her eyes closed again, but only for a moment. She felt the illusion of a hand in her hair. She heard the splash of water as she was submerged. Sharon stared at the air vent in the corner of the ceiling. She could hear herself, sputtering and gasping, and the sound of glass as it crunched and broke beneath her.

She drew a breath and held it, and to drown out the sounds, Sharon allowed herself to sink below the surface of the water. She stayed there until the sounds faded, until her lungs and throat burned, and the need for air became too great to ignore. When she rose to draw air again, she could still hear it, but she pushed it back. She ignored it as she reached for a sponge and applied it to her skin. Sharon made a decision long ago that she would not allow the past to dictate her future. She held on to that decision now as she washed and scrubbed, and rinsed away the darkness of her fear.

It was late, nearing dawn when Andy got home. The apartment was dark, but he expected that. The lamp that Rusty usually left on in the loft was out, indicating that he was home. He moved quietly through the apartment, left his keys and wallet on the bar, and toed out of his shoes before walking down the short, narrow hall to the bedroom. They had been sent home to get a few hours sleep, a hot shower, and a hot meal before they got back to work attempting to unravel their latest case.

He was as quiet as he could be while he showered and changed. He went about it quickly, to keep from waking his wife, at least until he needed to. It wasn't until he joined her in the bedroom that he hesitated. There was a time when he could have slipped into bed behind her, pulled her against his chest and just enjoyed the feel of her while drifting off to sleep. That had changed a little. Now she would stiffen and jump at his touch. It would startle her awake, and while the moment would pass, it would take some time for her to settle before she could slide back into sleep.

Andy sighed. "Sharon." He called her name before he leaned over and touched her shoulder. "Sharon." He brushed her hair back and let his thumb trace the shell of her ear. He hated waking her, but it was kinder than scaring her.

Her eyes fluttered. She sighed in her sleep and rolled onto her back. "Hm. You're home," she mumbled sleepily. Sharon moved onto her other side and curled her arms around her pillow. She closed her eyes again and settled. She lay there for just a moment before she reached back and motioned for him to join her. It was getting easier for him to wake her up. The mornings were not the struggle that they had been just following the attack. Progress. That was what they both told themselves. It was progress.

He slid into the bed beside her. His arms wrapped around her, and when she wriggled closer, Andy turned his face into her neck. "It's late, go back to sleep." He closed his eyes and let his fatigue roll through him.

"Mmhm." Her arms covered his. Sharon was barely awake, only just conscious enough to know that it was him. "I made an offer on the house," she told him, still slurring her words as she continued to hover closer to sleep.

"Yeah." He nuzzled her neck and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Andy slid a hand beneath her pajama top; her skin was warm and soft beneath his touch. His fingers splayed across her stomach. He thought back over their conversation earlier that evening and remembered telling her to do just that. He was looking forward to seeing it for himself, but it looked like a place they could both be happy with from the pictures she sent him. Andy had some ideas for that deck. It would be nice to sit there with her on a cool evening, a blanket wrapped around them, enjoying the quiet while candles burned around them. It could be really good for them. He had some ideas about that pool too. "Good," he mumbled tiredly.

Sharon rolled in his arms so that she was facing him. She curled her arms against his body and snuggled close. Her lips brushed the tip of his chin. It was rough with stubble. He hadn't shaved in the shower, she realized. It made her lips tingle. She smiled as she settled against him. "Steve emailed over the copies of the house inspection and appraisal. I'll call the mortgage company in the morning. The house went up in 2014 and the previous owner only lived there for ten months. It was leased for a few months, but it's been empty for almost a year. It's practically brand new."

He grunted in response. Andy was already half asleep, but as usual, waking Sharon came with a price. His hands moved under her shirt again, this time to settle against the small of her back. He stroked her skin in lazy circles and tried to stay awake long enough to listen to her talk about the house. "That's nice," he said. "You sold me on it at Rusty having his own bathroom."

She chuckled quietly. He was hardly making any sense. She had to listen closely to put the words that he was mumbling together. "Go to sleep," she told him. It would be easy enough for her to fall back into slumber too. They could talk about it in the morning, before he had to return to work. She tucked her feet beneath his legs. The inevitable hiss came and she smiled.

Silence descended on the room, soon to be filled by even breathing and soft snores. Sharon was drifting, close to sleep when his voice mumbled thickly against her ear. "Shit, isn't Steve the one Vicki was gonna fix you up with? You were alone with him all day?"

Sharon pressed her face into him. She pressed a kiss to his t-shirt clad chest while her shoulders shook with quiet laughter. "Shh," she crooned softly. Her hands stroked his arms and stomach. He was a ridiculous goof sometimes, but he was all hers. It was moments like this when she felt like all of their damage was completely superficial. It wasn't real. _They_ were real, and they were going to be okay.

 **-TBC-**


	21. Chapter 21

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

He couldn't sit still. His leg was bouncing, and the tip of his pen was tapping against the edge of the file that he was reading. Andy glanced over his shoulder again, but the hall remained empty. His brows knit into a frown as he turned back around, pretended to keep reading.

What the hell was taking so long?

Sharon was supposed drop into HR to turn in her medical release, and then she had to swing by Professional Standards to pick up her clearance, after that she had a meeting with Behavioral Sciences to complete the process. He knew she would have to stop in and see Assistant Chief Mason when those tasks were done, turn in all of her paperwork, and probably get briefed on how they all had handled themselves while she was away. Honestly, when he kissed her goodbye that morning, so that they could come to work in their separate vehicles, neither of them believed that she would be delayed more than a couple of hours.

Andy expected to be seeing her again by mid-morning. It was now half past noon and still there was no sign of her. He was beginning to worry. What could possibly have delayed her for _that_ long? He looked over his shoulder again and huffed a sigh when there was still no sign of her.

He jerked when a wadded up piece of paper hit the side of his head. Andy cast a dark scowl at his smirking partner. "What the hell was that for?"

"You're annoying me." Provenza leaned back in his chair. "You're tapping out a hole in that desk. Stop it. She'll show up when she shows up, or maybe she decided she's spent enough time around you lately, and she's taking a personal day."

Julio snorted a laugh. The commander's personal days were always scheduled well in advance, and they all knew it. They also knew she had to be ready to get back to work. He shook his head at the scowling Flynn. "Why don't you just text her? _Where are you?_ Three little words, simple. Even the Lieutenant could manage to send that."

Provenza opened his mouth to agree, but promptly closed it. "Hey!" He glared across his desk at Julio, seated adjacent to him.

The detective only shrugged at him while the others laughed. "It's true, sir."

"I'm not going to text her." Andy hunched over his desk. "I don't want to bother her if she's still in that meeting with Mason. Who knows _what_ they're talking about."

"Lieutenant Provenza probably," Buzz muttered from his desk. He shot a look at the Lieutenant. The closer it got to the Commander's return, the grumpier he had become. He was itching to no longer be in charge and taking it out on everyone. Not to mention he was cutting a few corners that he probably shouldn't. Buzz wouldn't exactly say that he was breaking any rules, but he would call the other man's methods a little sloppy, and had… much to his own detriment and ringing ears.

"Yes," the Lieutenant replied, "I imagine it would take a while to fully describe just how wonderful I am at her job." He waved Buzz off and turned his attention back to his partner. "She'll show up when she shows up," he told him. "You know she's in the building, it's not like she's going to run away. Stop acting like a fretful puppy."

"She's supposed to be in the building," Andy told him with a scowl. "I haven't seen her since we left the apartment this morning."

Provenza's brows shot up. "You mean you didn't bring her to work?"

"No. Of course not," Andy rolled his eyes at the other man. "She drove herself. Like she usually does." They often brought their own cars to work, so that the other wouldn't end up stranded and having to wait if a meeting went long. Besides which, Sharon didn't micromanage every moment of their time. She trusted them all enough to delegate. If any of them were working late, she didn't feel the need to babysit.

"You mean you don't even know if she's in the building?" Provenza glared at him. "You couldn't even be bothered to give her a ride on her first day back? And you're just telling us? We've been sitting here waiting on her for hours!" He threw his hands up in disgust. If he had known that, he would have sent someone to find her by now.

Before the two Lieutenants could get any further into their argument, Detective Nolan waved them off. "She's in the building," he commented nonchalantly.

Andy's eyes narrowed. His eyes snapped around. "How do you know that?" The younger detective seemed pretty sure of himself, which was weird, considering he hadn't left his desk.

Everyone was staring at him now. Nolan just shrugged at them. "You all know that I know more people than just you, right?" He picked up his phone and gave it a little wiggle. "I have friends," he explained with a half grin. "She's been seen in the building. I've got a buddy down in Vice. He was in the elevator with her. He said she got off on 3. Another friend of mine saw her getting _on_ the elevator from 6. Where she's at now, I have no idea, but she's been in the building."

"Third floor," Julio said, "that's HR. Okay, so she turned in her paperwork."

"The head shrinkers are on six," Provenza nodded. "That might have taken a little while. So she's probably in with Mason right now." That made his scowl deepen. That could only mean that she had been with the Assistant Chief for a couple of hours. It couldn't take him that long to bring her up to speed on her team.

"Wait." Andy sat forward in his chair. He pinned Nolan with a hard look. "What the hell are you doing stalking the Commander?"

"What?" Nolan looked around the room; his expression was the very picture of innocence. "You wanted to know where she was. She's around here somewhere. I'm not stalking her. People talk, that's all. She's got kind of a reputation around here, in case you forgot."

Amy sat forward, weight on her elbows as she leaned on her desk. "He's not wrong," she pointed out. "Before she was in charge of Major Crimes, how often did you all keep track of her when she was moving around the building?"

They went silent. It was Mike that leaned back in his chair to look at the others. "The broom is in flight," he said, reminding them of their old warning phrase. Any time Raydor was spotted near the ninth floor, it was the responsibility of whoever saw her to text that to the rest of the team. It came in handy, especially when she was following them around several years ago trying to find the leak in their division. That was before they learned to trust her, before they even really tolerated her.

Andy rubbed the back of his neck. That one was his doing. He felt pretty odd about it now, all things considered. "Yeah, well… that was a long time ago," he muttered. "Things have changed."

"I'll say." Provenza rolled his eyes. "You had to go and get all _friendly_ ," he muttered.

"Hey!" Flynn scowled at him. "You like her too! I'm not the only one that—"

"For the love of all that's good and right in the world," Provenza pointed a finger at him, "do not finish that sentence. You're the one that married her, not me."

"Did any of your friends mention when they saw her last?" Julio asked, interrupting the argument before it could really start, or so he hoped. They all knew that it was likely just delayed.

Nolan checked the time on his phone. "No. That last text was a couple of hours ago. I can call Ida and see if she's still in with the Chief," he suggested, referring to the executive assistant that worked in Mason's office.

Flynn snorted. "Like she would tell you." He turned back to his desk, head shaking in dismay. "I guess we'll find out when she shows up."

"No way," Nolan replied with a grin. "Ida likes me." She would even let him take a candy from the dish on her desk when he was in the office, many people didn't get that treatment.

"Mark my words," Provenza said, "nothing good can come from them meeting for _this_ long." His eyes narrowed. "Flynn, didn't you say you failed your checkup? You're still on desk duty right?" He rubbed his chin. He wondered if that's what it was about. Maybe the Chief wanted them to free up a spot in the division for someone that could actually get out into the field.

"What's that got to do with anything?" He exclaimed, growing defensive. "Maybe they're talking about you. There's a very good chance that Chief Mason didn't like dealing with your grumpy old mug. You know, it's possible that you pissed off the wrong person and Sharon is having to clean it up."

"Or," Provenza told him, "the _Commander_ is having to clean up a mess that _you_ made." He shook his finger at the other man. "You were the one who said I was no good at the politics. That's why I left you here to deal with all of it while I focused on the real police work. Maybe _you_ stepped in it good this time."

"Me?" Andy stood up from his desk. His hands found his hips while he glared. "Why does it always have to be—" He trailed off quickly. His ears pricked at a familiar sound. Andy tilted his head. That staccato of heels had been missing for too damn long. He looked over in time to see Sharon round the corner and start down the hall toward them. He studied her for just a moment, gauging her mood. When she met his gaze and smiled, he grinned back. "It's about time," he called. "We were starting to think that you changed your mind and decided to take a few more weeks off."

"After seeing all of that," Sharon nodded to the stack of paperwork on her desk, visible through the open blinds, "the idea has some merit." She walked into the murder room and came to a stop. Sharon looked around. Her team was looking back at her, there were mixed expressions among the group. They were happy to see her, but she could also read the curiosity in their gazes. "Good afternoon, everyone."

"Welcome back, Commander." Nolan grinned widely at being the first one to say it. His grin only widened at the way Sanchez scowled at him. "What?"

"I'm keeping an eye on you," the detective muttered. "That's how he started," he jerked his head toward Flynn.

Nolan snorted a laugh and just leaned back in his chair. "If you say so." One of these days he would clue them in to the fact that the Commander just wasn't his type. Her Lieutenant on the other hand…

Greetings went around the room. Sharon smiled brightly at all of them. "Thank you. It's good to be back. Let me put all of this in my office," she indicated the files she was carrying, in addition to her purse and laptop bag, "and then you can bring me up to speed on our current case." She drew away from them and walked toward her office. "Lieutenant, join me please," she shot a look at Andy as she passed him.

Provenza scowled at him, but Andy smirked as he turned on his heel to follow her. While Sharon got settled at her desk, Andy pushed the door to her office closed. "You have been a way for a while," he teased. "You're not supposed to ask me in here just to tell me—"

"Have a seat, Lieutenant." Sharon opened one of the files that she brought back with her from the Chief's office. While she waited for him to get settled, she sat back in her chair. She gave it just a slight wiggle. It would need to be readjusted. Andy was giving her a curious look now. Sharon smirked inwardly, that would do nicely; she couldn't have him acting too comfortable. Sharon gazed at him over the tops of her glasses. "I had a very lengthy discussion with Assistant Chief Mason about the current state of my division, and all its members." A single brow arched. "Is there anything that you would like to tell me before we continue?"

Andy shifted in his chair. He rubbed the back of his neck. A certain conversation was playing out inside his head. "Uh… right. I guess you're back, so… this would be about my medical clearance." He grimaced. "In my defense, I wasn't keeping it from you."

"This is a professional discussion, Lieutenant. We will deal with the rest later." Sharon fought the urge to smirk when he winced. As far as their personal relationship was concerned, he wasn't in any trouble. They did try to keep their work out of their private lives as much as possible. He had done that. Maybe a little too well, but he still hadn't crossed any lines, personally. So much of their work and their home life was mixed lately, Sharon actually appreciated the extra effort on his part. "Now then, as you surmised, this is about your medical release. Assistant Chief Mason briefed me on your status. As I understand it, your doctor released you to return to full, active fieldwork last month. You subsequently returned that release to the Chief, with a request to remain on desk duty until my return."

"Yeah," he shrugged, "that about covers it." Andy rested his arms on the sides of his chair. "You and I talked about what might happen if I got released. I didn't want to leave the team too short-handed while you were out. Besides, Provenza hates being stuck here while everyone else is out in the field. I didn't wanna freak him out with too many changes. He likes having a personal desk monkey."

"Before you turn in your retirement papers," Sharon told him, "I may have another solution." She clasped her hands against the top of her desk. "It would seem that your little arrangement with the Lieutenant had some benefits. While your partner was in the field with the others, you managed to impress Chief Mason with your ability to keep things organized here. Now that I am back," she continued, "our new assistant Chief would like to move ahead with some of the changes that he proposed prior to my medical leave. Foremost among those changes was expanding the role of Major Crimes within the department, without diminishing the ability of our division to do what it does so well. Investigate and close cases. Still, we have an excellent history of running successful operations within the scope of those cases, and Assistant Chief Mason would like to extend that to a new team."

Andy's brows knit together in confusion. "What does that have to do with me?" He leaned forward in his chair. "Sharon, I'm not planning on jumping ship the second you're settled in. I can hang around for a few more weeks, give you time to get things set up. I'd have some paperwork and case files to wrap up anyway." He shook his head at her. "I wasn't counting days for you to get back just so I could leave. Besides, I figured with buying the house, I'd find something else anyway. Consultant work, security, or whatever." He wasn't planning to just retire and then sit around doing nothing.

"I know that," she said softly. Sharon smiled at him. "Andy, we would like for you to take over running the new team. We're calling it Investigative Operations right now, but that could change. There is a small promotion, so this isn't an entirely lateral move" she explained, "you would move up to Lieutenant Grade 3, which would put you on the same level with Lieutenant Provenza. He would maintain primary supervision of Major Crimes. The two of you would report to me, and I would report to the Assistant Chief. What we need is someone who can coordinate operations in the field and be in the field when necessary, but not in a constant capacity. It would be a lot of administrative work too, but nothing unlike what you've been doing in my absence, and assisting with throughout the course of your desk restrictions."

"What?" Andy continued to stare at her. It was either a joke, or maybe she had come back too soon. He wasn't entirely sure. It was impossible that they both understood this proposal in the same way. "Wait a minute," he held up a hand. "You're telling me that Mason wants to promote me to some new team, because I asked to be kept on a desk while you were out? How does that make any sense? Why me?"

She rubbed her lips together in an effort to keep from smiling too brightly. "Well," she began slowly, "apparently the way you handled yourself caught his attention, and not for the first time. Andy, you aren't incapable of being in command, you simply never aspired to it. You're very good at your job. So is the rest of Major Crimes, which is why we would like to keep this division doing what it does. We're stretched too thin in some areas, field operations is one of them. We have support from other teams when we go into the field, but that puts them at a disadvantage and it dips into the overtime fund. Also, to be completely honest with you, this team has adapted to working with you in a limited capacity."

"Ah." He leaned back as realization came. "It's about the money." He rolled his eyes. "Figures." Andy shook his head at her. "So what, to keep Major Crimes from spending too much of the budget, he's making it bigger? That doesn't make a lot of sense."

"We're looking beyond the short-term gains," she told him. "The idea, which may or may not be successful, is to pull officers from within the department to fill the new team. We'll pick from SIS, Intelligence, Gang, and Vice." She laid her hand on the short stack of files on the left corner of her desk. "We have some ideas for personnel. You and I will go through them and submit our choices to Chief Mason." She smiled at him now. He still looked skeptical. "Andy, it wasn't really all that long ago that the idea of a Priority Homicide Division was a huge gamble for the department. Many didn't believe it would work, and it almost didn't. It was the officers involved that made it a success, as well as management understanding the limitations and expanding when it became necessary. The city's needs are changing, and with that and the way the world is evolving, the way we enforce laws has to change too. If we cannot evolve with the community around us, we become obsolete."

"Alright, alright." Andy waved a hand at her as he stood up. He began to pace the interior of his office while he thought through what she said. "So I guess this would have something to do with that increased responsibility that Mason said you'd end up having. I guess he's not planning on wasting anymore time. Hell, it's your first day back."

"We've actually been discussing his ideas for expanding the roles of Major Crimes since his promotion," Sharon admitted. "We were only just reaching a place where we would be ready to implement when the attack took place. Assistant Chief Mason chose to wait until my return to move forward. I actually appreciate his lack of hesitation. I wouldn't want anyone to think that I needed to be handled…" Her eyes narrowed at him in warning.

Andy made a face at her. "That lesson has been learned, trust me." He ran a hand over his face as he paced. "Geez, and I guess keeping me in your command, but outside a direct working structure kind of satisfies the whole being married situation…" There were no rules against it, but it wasn't exactly done, married officers working together. There were some that were a little nervous about how that would work out.

"We can choose to believe it does," Sharon shrugged. "This has nothing to do with our personal status. If others decide that they feel more comfortable, so be it. This is primarily a direct result of your own accomplishments." She paused for a moment. When she spoke again, it was in a much softer tone. "Andy, if you would like to retire, I'm not going to stop you. I will miss working with you every day, but that decision is yours. I will support it completely."

"Can I think about it?" Like she said, it wasn't really anything that he ever aspired to. He wanted the time to weigh his options. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of retirement, but that might still be the way that he went. About five or ten years ago, he'd have chosen without a second thought. His ego would have chosen for him. He'd have taken the officer and not looked back, but now there was more to worry about. He had to think about his kids, his wife, their marriage, and their life together. There was more at stake than just himself and his career. He knew that Sharon would tell him to do what he felt was right for him, but he wanted the chance to sit down and talk to her about it, and not as his boss.

"Of course." Sharon closed the file on her desk. It was the review of him that Assistant Chief Mason had done. She would let him look at it when he felt ready. "You can have until the end of the week to decide. We can meet again to discuss it on Friday, that's when I will need your answer."

"Friday," he nodded. "Okay, I can do that. Was there anything else?"

"No, that was all." Sharon pushed up from behind her desk. "I'd like to rejoin the others now and get caught up on the case. We should order lunch, we can eat while you all brief me." She opened her office door. "I would also like for someone to explain why the Assistant Chief had to stop an operation that involved sending Buzz undercover as a male prostitute?"

Andy shrugged at her. "What? He wants to be more involved. Nolan is still too new and Sanchez was too enthusiastic about it. Mike refused, I was on desk duty, and Provenza… well, let's just say it was never going to be Provenza and leave it at that."

"Seven weeks," Sharon mumbled as she left her office. "I only left you all alone for seven weeks…"

"Well, that's why they put you in charge of us. We can't be left unsupervised." Andy smirked. "Just look on the bright side, the undercover op didn't happen and we caught the guy anyway."

"Hm." Sharon didn't sound convinced. "Maybe next time I will leave Buzz in charge."

Andy glanced at his partner and the way the old man was glaring at them. "Might not be the worst idea," he muttered behind her.

Sharon suppressed a smile as she moved to the center of the murder room. She stopped in front of the white board, studying it while Provenza and Sanchez tried to get out of Flynn what they had been meeting about. There was a little bickering and lighthearted teasing as Tao joined in. She had missed this. It was what she would have missed if she was promoted to the office down the hall. Things would be changing soon, but not so much that the general sense of the squad would also change. It was good to be back.

The Commander clapped her hands together to draw their attention back to her and the case they were working. "Okay, where are we…"

 **MCMCMCMCMCMC**

"So what do you think he'll do?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Rusty shrugged as he folded a t-shirt from the basket on his bed and added it to the pile. At the desk in the corner of his room, Ricky watched from their Skype call. "It's been three days. Neither one of them has said anything since they talked about it the other night." Rusty had come home from work to find their mother and Andy seated at the dining table, weighing options and going over all of the pros and cons of him taking on his own team or retiring. At the end of the day, he had some feelers for possible post-retirement jobs, but nothing concrete. Now that they were moving ahead with buying a house, being down to a single income just wasn't a great idea, even if Andy would still have his pension. The house wasn't the only expense they had to worry about either. It made Rusty incredibly uncomfortable when they included law school into their financial situation, but they insisted on paying for his education.

"You're no help, little brother." Ricky rolled his eyes. "I think he should take it," he decided. "Moving up the ladder at work is never a bad thing."

"Unless that's not what you want." He shrugged. "I don't think being in charge is something Andy ever thought about. That's what he told Mom. He's a cop, not a paper pusher."

Ricky snorted at the passable imitation that Rusty managed to do of their stepdad. "Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean he doesn't recognize a good thing when he sees it. He would basically just be a supervisor reporting to another manager. It isn't as if he would be the top of the heap, so to speak. What does mom say?"

"She said it was his decision." Rusty walked around and sat down on the corner of his bed facing the computer. "She told him they could work it out if he really wanted to retire, or she could figure out a way to keep him in Major Crimes, like he is now. She agreed it was a good opportunity, but she's not going to tell him what to do about his career. That isn't how they do things." Rusty rolled his eyes at his brother. "You know how they are."

"Yeah." Ricky sighed. "That doesn't mean that mom doesn't have an opinion. That's what she _said_ but what does she _think_? Come on, Rusty. I know you asked her about it, and even if you didn't, you're there. You have to have some idea of how she feels about it."

"He should take it." Rusty knew exactly what his mother thought about it. "She wants him to do what is best for him, but she also wants him to do what he's good at, and she thinks he would be really good at this. She's not going to push him, though. She gave him her opinion and left it up to him. It's weird. She doesn't want to lose an experienced officer, but she's also his wife. She wants him to do well, and she wants him to be happy."

"But he hasn't said anything to you about it?" Ricky hated being so far removed from everything. It was times like these that he wished he lived closer to home. "You didn't talk to him about it at all?"

Rusty just shrugged again. "I told him not to worry about law school. I can figure that out if it's a problem. I think I made him mad. I mean, I'm not his responsibility. Mom is the one insisting on paying for law school, but that doesn't mean that she has to pay for all of it, and that doesn't make it his expense. Apparently, I'm clueless, because they're in all of this together now. Just because I'm her kid and not his kid, I get the feeling he's not about to let her shell out thousands of dollars for tuition without helping."

"Clueless is a word for it." Ricky laughed at his brother. "You don't get the whole marriage thing, do you? Dating was one thing; living together was something else. Now they're married and that's a whole other level of together. They're a team now. Which I'm sure is pretty weird for mom. She didn't have that with my dad. She still had to do everything on her own, and she did it pretty well, but you remember what Andy said, right? He told us he was in this, completely, and that means paying for law school, spud. Look, the dad thing is weird for all of us. Mine is pretty useless most of the time, your sperm donor was an asshole, but I get the feeling we're going to have to deal with some serious paternal feelings going forward. He's not our dad, and he's not trying to be, and frankly I really appreciate that, but he is _a dad_ , so it's kind of there… even without trying. Whatever else he is, it's a family thing now, and for him I think taking care of us is just another way of taking care of mom, and we all know how he is about _her_."

"Oh yeah." Rusty looked heavenward. He had witnessed enough of the Sharon and Andy show to last him a lifetime. "Okay, fine. So I'll shut up about the tuition thing. It's still weird." He pulled another t-shirt over and began folding it. "I don't know," he said, getting back to their previous topic. "I never really pictured him as anything but the Lieutenant, you know? I mean, that's what he was when I met him. It took a long time to get used to him as just _Andy_ and even then he was still _Lieutenant Flynn_ a lot of the time. I can't really see him retired. It's like Lieutenant Provenza," he explained, "he always tells everyone that he will die with a stapler in his hand, at his desk, and if he's lucky, he might even have his bucket hat on. I kind of see Andy like that too. He'll probably fall over in his chair one day, and that's it."

"Don't say that," Ricky said gravely. It might have some truth to it, but it was way too close to what had almost happened to joke about. "Don't ever let mom hear it either. She didn't sleep through the night for a couple of weeks after the heart attack. She told Emily that she would wake up a couple of times a night just to make sure he was still breathing. That really scared the crap out of her."

"It scared all of us," Rusty admitted. "I was back on _Flynnsitting_ duty for weeks, and for the first time, I didn't mind." That was when he finally realized he liked having him around. He also realized then just how important Andy was to his mom. He only had a vague idea before, like he was just a boyfriend. Even having Andy move in didn't clue him in, and maybe it was his own inexperience with relationships, but not until seeing how frightened his mother was for Andy, did he really understand just how much she loved him.

"I know." Ricky gave him a small smile. His brother was just a little clueless sometimes. Of course, he knew he wasn't always much better. "Okay, so maybe you should drop some hints. You know? Like… the family thinks it's a good idea if he takes the new job. Have you talked to Charlie and Nicole about it? Did they say anything?"

"Not really. They haven't told anyone besides me. I only told you because I wanted to know what _you_ think about it. Sometimes I think they only tell me things because I live here." He shook his head. "They go out of their way to make sure I don't feel left out, but really, there's some things that I don't need to know." He gave his brother a pointed look. "If you know what I mean."

"Don't worry," Ricky laughed, "you'll be in a bigger place soon, little brother. That doesn't mean mom and Andy won't be making out in the kitchen, but at least you won't have to hear it while you're trying to sleep."

"God!" Rusty shuddered. "Don't remind me." He threw his t-shirt at the computer. "Can we just talk about the other thing? No one at work has said anything about a transfer, or promotion, or whatever. I'm in the Murder Room with Hobbs a few times a week, and no one has said a word. I don't think they know."

"Wait. Really?" Ricky leaned closer to his computer. "You mean, Andy hasn't told Lieutenant Provenza? How did that happen? I thought he would tell him first?"

"I guess not." Rusty didn't understand it either. "I mean, the Lieutenant is his partner, but mom is his wife? So it's a whole other level? I don't know. I mean, okay, so she talked to him about it at work as his boss. So that means he can't talk about it _at_ work, right? They talked about it at home as just _them_ , so he can't discuss it with his friend, because this is kind of a family decision?" Rusty rubbed his head. "Whatever they do, I hope it gets easier to tell all this crap apart."

"Okay, I take it back." Ricky shook his head. "I was thinking earlier that it sucks being all the way up here, away from everything, but I changed my mind. Have fun figuring all that out, spud."

"Thanks a lot," He muttered. Rusty stood up and walked back around to his laundry basket. "I don't think we can really predict what they're going to do. I never thought they'd actually get married," he shrugged, "but here they are."

"That's because you lack true romantic vision. I knew my guy Andy wouldn't let me down." Ricky was still pleased with that turn of events. "Okay, I need to go, but you'll let me know what happens? When did you say he had to give mom his final decision?"

"Friday," Rusty sorted through his socks. "Mom said he had until Friday to make up his mind. I can call you when I know something. I don't know if they're going to make an announcement, or if I just have to wait and see if they tell me."

"Don't wait too long. You've got me all curious now!" Ricky reached out to end the call. "Be good, little brother. No more pissing off the paternal figure."

Rusty made a face at the computer screen as it went blank and the app logo appeared. "You should try living with them," he muttered. How was he supposed to know what the right thing to say was? Those two freaked him out on a regular basis.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Sharon and Andy shared a look. They had come home during the conversation. Rusty had obviously not heard them. "So should we tell him, or let him figure it out?" She smiled as she screwed the top off a bottle of water and put it to her lips.

"I say we let the little _spud_ sweat it out for a little while." Andy pulled two containers of fresh fruit out of the fridge and placed them on the counter. He didn't know how pleased he was with Rusty talking about his business with the others. It was one of those things they all had to get used to. It didn't matter which of the kids got a heads up on the information, all of them were going to know within a few hours.

Sharon chortled quietly as she reached out to stroke the length of his arm. He had spent days weighing that decision. He turned it over in his head until he couldn't stand it anymore. She knew it was his own doubt that was holding him back, but Sharon believed in him. She wouldn't have agreed to bring the proposal to him otherwise. " _Rusty,"_ she said pointedly, "is going to figure it out pretty soon. We're in pretty close quarters here."

"For now." He flashed a grin. They were moving ahead with buying the townhouse. The loan had been approved with the mortgage company, but their broker wanted another appraisal and inspection. It was all a formality. It would take a couple of weeks to get all of that completed and on file. Then they would sit down and sign the papers. They still had some time left on their apartment lease, though, which was going to give them time to paint the walls and do any other remodeling they wanted completed at the house before they moved into it. There was a certain amount of relief to just knowing they had found a home and would be living in it soon. "Kid isn't just going to have his own bathroom soon," he smirked, "and the kitchen is going to be the least of his worries… You know, the pool is heated."

"Ugh." Sharon rolled her eyes at him. She pushed him away from her with a grin. "You are obsessed with that pool. It isn't too late for us to rethink purchasing now…"

"I don't think so." He pulled her to him, grinning as he wrapped his arms around her and turned his face into her neck. Andy nuzzled her neck until she laughed.

Rusty heard the laughter and groaned loudly. "Please don't be doing what it sounds like you're doing," he yelled. "People have to eat in there!"

"Stop it." Sharon wriggled way from her husband. She peeled his hands off her and pointed at him. "No." When he pouted, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his chin. "Dinner first. We can play later." They had skipped lunch and she was starving.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Andy walked around her to lean out of the kitchen and yell into the loft. "Rusty, come down and join us. You can help us figure out what we want for dinner and maybe I'll tell you how to report back to your brother." The young man's groan made him grin.

Sharon swatted his arm. She agreed that her sons should not be discussing matters that did not concern them, but they could hardly censor how the kids worried about them. "Be nice," she warned.

"What?" Andy held up his hands. "I'm just going to tell him that I'm taking it so he can stop worrying about it."

"Mmhm." Sharon gave him a pointed look. She didn't believe that anymore than he did. "There will be no play time, and no pool time," she emphasized, "if you do not behave yourself, Mr. Flynn."

"Fine." He huffed. "I can be nice, unless provoked," he reminded her. Rusty was on his own if he poked the bear. Andy opened a drawer and took out a stack of take out menus for them to study while snacking on the fruit that he already pulled out. "Mrs. Flynn is mean," he muttered.

Sharon snapped his suspenders as she moved past him. "I can be," she warned with a smirk.

"Promise?" He waggled his brows at her.

She said nothing because Rusty joined them. Instead, she only took her water and rounded the door to slide onto a barstool across from where the two men were standing. The boys were correct about one thing. She left the choice up to Andy because it was ultimately his decision to make, but they discussed it because they were partners now. His decision would affect her, but she still wanted him to know that she would support whichever choice he made. In the end, Andy didn't really want to be retired. He wasn't ready to take that step. He wasn't entirely confident about taking over the new operations team, but he was going to do it. She believed in him, and he believed in her. That was enough.

Sharon watched the pair of them sort through the menus. The usual bickering began as they discussed the advantages of Thai versus burgers. It hadn't been long enough since their last evening of Chinese or pizza, so those were discarded immediately. Sharon smiled. Rusty was uncomfortable with labels, and if he was honest about it, Andy was too. Their relationship was not as tenuous as either man liked to believe, but it was certainly unique. They both made her unbelievably happy, and she adored them for that.

It was evenings like this one that got her through the past several weeks. The total normalcy of it, listening to Andy and Rusty bicker and tease, sarcasm erupting between them, but wrapped in a heavy dose of amusement and respect. Knowing that her son was alive to have this moment was reason enough to put that night behind her. Having Andy to love her through those terror induced moments in the middle of the night, though they came less often now, had given her more to lean on than her own strength.

He was stronger than he knew, this husband of hers. Sharon's head inclined. A smile curved her lips. That wasn't entirely official yet. Legally, yes… but there was still one step they had yet to complete. She decided they would do it once they were moved into the new house. They hadn't wanted a wedding, but so much had changed. They would gather their kids and their closest friends, their family, and they would complete the step they had taken on beginning this joint path.

For now, she shook her head at her son and her love. So much of their lives changed every day… but one thing still remained. These two could be as irritating as they were darling. She would give them just another minute before she interrupted. It was good that they had both found her. They both so obviously needed her… and Sharon was thankful to still be with them.

 **-TBC-**


	22. Chapter 22

**Obsidian**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** This is not my sandbox. I just enjoy playing in it.

 **A/N:** A round of applause for **NarcissaNerea** , the awesome sassy beta who keeps me in line!

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

In the end, they decided that September was the perfect time for a small wedding. They spent the long, hot weeks of summer remodeling and moving. There wasn't much that truly _needed_ to be done at the new house, but the walls were painted in all of the rooms. While anyone else might have wanted to get the move over with, Sharon and Andy took their time. They picked out paint colors, rugs, and matching drapery… or rather, Sharon had picked it, once she got Andy to give her his opinions on the wall colors.

He didn't particularly care about interior design, especially while he was settling in to his new job responsibilities; not that it was all that dissimilar to his previous work. He had more paperwork now, and there were actually people that he was responsible for, but ultimately he still reported to Sharon. That sense of the familiar made it a lot easier to wrap his head around.

Where the house was concerned, Andy told Sharon to do what she wanted. If she was happy, he would be happy. That didn't mean that he would allow her to paint he walls apricot and had, quite sternly, vetoed the very idea when she proposed it. He was still hoping she was only joking, but she got his attention with it, and he paid a little more attention when she brought him paint chips and fabric swaths.

After they painted, choosing a dusky, light green for the downstairs, except for the kitchen and laundry room, which had both been painted a pale, cheerful yellow; Sharon decided she wanted new furniture. The dining set that she already had would look lovely in the formal dining room, although the chairs clashed with the walls. Sharon called the walls light sage; Andy thought they looked like very pale Easter eggs. She was happy, so he decided that he didn't mind the color, and it wasn't apricot. It wasn't desert sand either, which to him had looked like some form of dirty, burnt orange, and he was convinced when Sharon showed it to him that she was yanking his chain, but as she decided she had to have new furniture in the living room and kitchen, he was beginning to wonder why he hadn't just told her to paint all the walls white.

Nicole told him that all of his grumbling was the reason that he had been single for so long. Andy wasn't convinced she was entirely correct, but he decided to shut his mouth and let the women in his life have their way. At some point, his daughter had gotten involved with the redecorating. Then Emily had come out for a week to visit her mother, and Andy was convinced the three of them were just trying to torture him. Dean and Charlie attempted to assure him that they were just being _women_ , bonding and what not. That statement had gotten them all in trouble when Rusty repeated it to his mother, and a few thousand dollars later, they had a new beautiful butcher block table and matching chairs in the kitchen, made of pale California pine.

There was a new sofa and chairs in the living room; the den had been decorated around Sharon's desk with new bookshelves and chairs, looking much more like a library than an office. That was something that she particularly enjoyed. Sharon much preferred sitting there to do her paperwork, when working at home was required, without feeling as though she was still closed up in her office at the PAB. It was why she had always preferred having her desk in the open at the condo. She spent all day in an office, she didn't want to spend her time at home in one too. Andy had come to enjoy the den too. They had spent a few evenings there, wrapped in a blanket, sharing the sofa while both of them spent the night reading.

When Sharon finally got around to furnishing the dining room… well, her entire set was given to Nicole and Dean. His son-in-law was doing penance for his transgression by going to antique shops and design stores with Nicole while she indulged her need to redecorate a couple of rooms in their home. Sharon had found a set that matched what was in the kitchen, and had fallen absolutely in love with it. Andy thought he might have another heart attack after seeing the bill for all of it, but she was happy, and he was out of the doghouse. They had even driven up the coast over a weekend, just to browse antique stores until they found a set of candleholders that would go well in the room. They had hosted their first dinner almost immediately after moving in, and while it was only Patrice and Provenza, it was a good evening. Sharon was happy, glowing in their new home. They both were.

Rusty had chosen the downstairs bedroom the first time that he walked through the house. He liked the built-in shelving, but preferred the fact that it was off the back hall, near the side door. He would be able to come and go without disturbing his mother and Andy, if he happened to be coming in late… or with a guest. The only guest that he would have would be Gus, and they didn't anticipate those visits being very often with the current status of his and Rusty's long distance relationship, but that was what he wanted, and Andy reminded Sharon that she had a twenty-one year old living at home. While Rusty had never been a little boy, at least for her, he wasn't a kid anymore. He had chosen to keep all of his old furniture, and painted his walls dark blue. When Andy compared it to the Murder Room, Rusty just quipped that he liked it there.

The upstairs hall was painted in the same green as the downstairs rooms, but each bedroom had been done in a different color. The guest room was off white with neutral bedding and dark furniture, while the master bedroom had been painted in earth tones, tan walls with darker trim. It was peaceful and comforting, and it suited them both. The bathroom tile and walls were a mix of sand, grey, and black.

It was the master bathroom that had the most work done to it. The room was already modern and well appointed, with a separate bath and glass-encased shower, but Andy had the round garden tub ripped out and replaced with a large, antique claw-foot tub. He said it reminded him too much of the condo, and so in that room alone, he had taken over and while he used the colors that his wife had chosen, he brought in a contractor to gut half of it and remake it in a way that both of them could live with. He knew her too well, that was what Sharon told him. Having the bathroom redecorated helped ease what remained of her tension when she was in that room. She found that she was comfortable in the claw foot tub, and it was just wide enough to seat both of them. They wouldn't be able to indulge often, not at their ages, but they had fully explored its addition to the master suite and found it quite suitable. It was one of the many ways that he took care of her, without being overly intrusive.

Then, with the exception of the end tables, which had come from Sharon's grandmother, they replaced their bedroom furniture. Andy's bedroom set, which had been in storage after the sale of his home, fit the room nicely. They found an antique armoire that matched it during their trip up the coast, and completed the room. They gave the old furniture to charity. Completely refurnishing their room wasn't a decision that either of them made ahead of time. Andy simply said that he would rather have his bed; her mattress was hard on his back. Since their room was going to be big enough for the king-size bed, they decided the furniture should match. There was no reason to completely replace everything they both had, and they had enjoyed that bed on the occasions they spent their evenings at Andy's house, before it sold.

When they were done, and the room was furnished, Sharon realized that she felt a lot more comfortable. She couldn't say how she would feel having her furniture in their new home, considering all that happened in their bedroom at the condo, but now she would never have to know. She could put those thoughts aside and enjoy the changes they made.

If either of them thought that it might feel awkward, living in that house after they finally moved in, they quickly learned that wasn't true. They had managed to create, together, a place that felt warm. It felt like home. It wasn't his place or hers. This belonged to both of them, and it was reflective of the life they built together, and would continue building as they moved forward.

They spent a few weeks going through storage, giving away or donating what they wouldn't be keeping while moving in to the house. Sharon's old living room set was given to Charlie, who said he liked the bold colors and modern look. Ricky had claimed Andy's leather sectional for himself, along with the large entertainment center that went with it, much to Dean's dismay. The rest, pieces that Andy caught Rusty admiring, would remain in storage. He figured the young man wouldn't live with them forever, so they could hold on to some stuff for when he did eventually move out, shelving units, a desk, dishes and the like.

By the time summer was over, they had managed to get moved in, and had also condensed his and Sharon's storage units to a single location. They talked about having a housewarming party, but a few busy cases had put that off indefinitely. Eventually, they decided the wedding would serve both purposes.

It would be small, of that they were both agreed. They needed only their kids, and their closest friends and family. They picked a date in September, and decided the moderate early fall temperatures would be perfect for an outdoor event. They had the backyard decorated in twinkling lights and glowing lanterns, and rented a few small tables that were draped in white cloths. They used the same caterer that Ricky had hired for their first, canceled party, although the wedding was much smaller, and met with their priest to finalize details for the ceremony.

Sharon's parents made the trip, but it was decided that they would see her siblings and the rest of the family during the holidays. Andy was still petrified of her father, something that Sharon found incredibly amusing. He was a sixty-two year old man, and her dad had him pacing the floor and unable to sleep the night before he met him. While her parents were incredibly important to her, Sharon was hardly of an age where she still _required_ their blessing. She knew that she was lucky to still have them both, although their health had not been as steady the past few years, but she would not have weighed her decision to marry Andy on their opinion of him. She loved that man with everything that she was, more than she imagined loving anyone at this stage in her life. Even when he annoyed the crap out of her, there was no one else that she would choose to spend the rest of her life with, no one else with whom she would want to watch their grandchildren grow, and probably no other man that would worry himself to a sleepless night over meeting her father.

Somehow that worked its way into her vows. Father Thomas had gone a traditional route, but they had also decided to write their own vows. She knew that Andy had spoken from his heart, and she also knew that he spent weeks agonizing over what he would say. He spoke of love, and the lifetime they would have together, and the joy that he found in being with her. He thought the opportunity for love had passed him by, but there she was, and he knew that he was lucky to have found her.

In a thick, and slightly hitching voice, with her eyes moist and bright, and her skin glowing in the late afternoon sun, Sharon repeated those thoughts to him. Gone were the words she had so carefully written and memorized. When she looked up at him, smiling down at her, looking for all the world like he _still_ couldn't believe that she was joining her life to his, the words had simply gone out of her head. She clasped his hands in hers and chuckled quietly. That seemed to bemuse him, he gave her that half grin that always filled her with warmth, and no matter what else she was feeling in the moment, it always put her at peace.

" _When this began I wasn't sure which of us was crazier, you or I_." She heard a muttered response from his partner, but couldn't quite tell what he said. There was laughter from those closest to him, and a glance showed her that his wife was nudging him to silence. " _I was sure that we had both lost our minds, because this couldn't possibly work. You are the single most infuriating man that I have ever met_ ," her lips trembled with barely contained laughter when he rolled his eyes at her, looking both amused and curious at where she was going with her speech, " _and I know that I drive you to distraction_." His brow arched, and his head tilted slightly, but Sharon went on. " _We have definitely had our moments; our disagreements… a few shouting matches in an old office at Parker Center come to mind._ " Sharon scraped her teeth across her bottom lip when he snorted a quiet laugh, " _When we stopped yelling at each other and started working together, I finally saw you. The arrogant, annoying, pain in my neck became this… thoughtful, goofy,_ " her voice trembled around a soft laugh. Andy rolled his eyes at her again, but she powered through, " _helpful colleague, who eventually became a friend. Someone who helped me step outside of a difficult situation when I needed it most_ ," her smile softened as she thought back to those weeks and months that Rusty spent receiving letters and walking around with a security detail," _someone that wasn't afraid to bridge a gap and offer a shoulder, even when I was rude to him, or dismissive. I saw a man that was willing to wait until hours after his shift ended just to walk me to my car,_ " because it had been Rusty's safety that she was concerned with, and not her own. She hadn't considered that she could be in danger, but Andy had cared enough, even then, to look out for her.

" _You can make me laugh when everything seems impossible. You've let me cry, and yell, and rant, and talk about my deepest fears and darkest nightmares, and never faltered or complained, even when I called you in the middle of the night. You let me sleep on your couch when I couldn't go home to an empty apartment, and you never told anyone that you watched me break. You've been strong when I couldn't be, and you became the friend that I didn't know I needed. From the outside looking in, we had every reason to fail. Our own children have asked how I can reconcile myself to our similar histories, but my past made it possible for me to see your present. You bring chaos to a world that I built out of order, and at a time when I needed that most. You love me, even when I know that I am being impossible. You waited, when anyone else would have walked away. You still annoy the crap out of me at times,_ " they both laughed, " _but there is no one else that I would be here with now. Your grandsons are sitting ten feet away, and you spent the night tossing and turning because you thought my father might not approve of you. That is the most ridiculous and endearing thing that I have ever seen, and I'm sorry dad_ ," she glanced at her father, but then smiled a little tearfully at the man standing directly in front of her, " _but it wouldn't matter to me if he didn't. I couldn't love you more if I tried. There is no one else that I would go through the rest of this life with._ "

A few hours after speaking those words, Sharon was still riding a cloud of warmth and happiness. Most of their guests had left as the hour grew later. Ricky and Emily had taken their grandparents back to the hotel, where all of them were staying during this visit. Rusty had gone with Gus, the two of them off to Palm Springs for the weekend. Nicole and Dean had taken the boys home not long after Sharon's parents called it a night, and now only Charlie remained. He was outside with the caterers, overseeing the breakdown of the party while she and Andy saw the last of their guests out.

As her husband and his best friend stood talking for a few more minutes, Sharon excused herself and made her way back through the house toward the kitchen. She felt guilty leaving the cleanup supervision to Charlie, while all of their other kids had retired for more interesting locations.

She found him standing at the open patio doors, a hand in his pocket while he watched the servers and catering staff stack chairs and gather what remained of the cutlery and dishes. In his other hand he held a cup of coffee. Sharon smiled when she noticed the half-empty carafe on the counter with two cups beside it. "Bless you." She poured herself a cup and held it in both hands, allowing them to warm as she joined him at the door. The evening had turned cool, but that was true of most of their nights. "You don't have to stay, Charlie. Your dad and I already paid the caterer. They'll leave when they've finished."

"Nah, it's cool." He glanced over at her and grinned. "It was your party. You don't get to clean up, in a manner of speaking." He turned so that he was facing her, and his back was leaning against the open door frame. "It was a really nice wedding." He understood now why she wanted to do it, even if she and his dad were already married. It meant something, having the priest there. Or maybe it just meant something that they got to see it all, watch them promise to love each other. Charlie wasn't exactly sure.

"It was." Sharon's smile grew. She leaned against the doorframe with a contented sigh. "It was a very good day." Her smile was only obscured when she lifted her cup to take a sip.

"Okay, don't go getting all emotional on me. That's not how we do things." Charlie pushed away from the door with a grin. "It'll ruin your evil stepmother image." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, palm sized box. "I got you something, though." He shrugged as he held it out. The box was pretty simple, white with a blue blow. He wasn't all that great at wrapping gifts, so he didn't even try.

"Charlie." A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "We told you kids _not_ to get us gifts." Sharon reached for the box. Her eyes sparkled up at him. "We meant it."

"It's no big deal," he shrugged at her, "it was actually going to be a house warming gift, but we all got busy, and then I just forgot… so I thought I'd give it to you tonight." Charlie leaned back again while she opened it. "It's probably a little bit corny, actually."

"I find that very hard to believe." He had given his father a very nice pen for Father's Day, along with tickets to see the Dodger's. Charlie insisted the tickets, dugout seats, were for his dad to take a friend, or even her, but Andy had taken his son instead. They'd had a good time. Andy had beamed about that for days. Sharon smiled about that while she tugged the ribbon off the box and opened it. There was a small object nestled inside, wrapped carefully in soft cotton.

The little glass figure that she lifted was only a couple of inches tall, no bigger than her thumb. It was made of smooth glass, beautifully sculpted, but the glass was like nothing that she had seen before. It was dark, smoke colored with hints of brown and green. There were swirls of black throughout. Sharon held it in her hand, turned in the overhead lights and watched the colors reflect. "It's beautiful," she said softly.

Charlie only shrugged again. He shifted where he stood, feeling a little odd and out of place. "I heard from Nicole that you like angels," he explained. "She said that dad mentioned it a few years ago, I guess he wanted her help looking for the perfect one to get you for Christmas or something." He gestured toward her with his coffee cup, "Christmas is a long time off, but I saw it, and I didn't really want to wait. You can consider it the house warming gift it was supposed to be, or a wedding present…" He trailed off with a grin. "Actually, let's go with that. You're a full on Flynn now, so you might need that angel."

"Hm." Sharon didn't know what to say. She gave him a gentle smile before her attention was drawn back to the figurine in her hand. It was unlike any of the other angels that she had in her collection, and it was not only the glass that it was made out of that caused it to stand out. Unlike her others, this one's arms were not folded in prayer, but raised from her body, as though in acceptance. The wings were lifted, in flight or defense, Sharon could not tell. It was beautiful, certainly, but something about it had a calming effect on her too. "It really is lovely," she told him. "Where did you find it? I've never seen anything like it before."

"A little shop down in San Diego. I was down to visit some friends a while back, and it was just in this little hole in the wall right off the beach. I thought it looked a little weird at first, but the more I stared at it, I don't know. I thought you should have it." He looked down, scuffed his shoe against the floor tiles. "The stuff that it's made out of, they call it obsidian. When the salesgirl told me about it, it reminded me of you. When volcanoes erupt, if the conditions are right, the lava cools and it turns to glass. It's all hard, but not completely impervious, you know? Obsidian won't shatter, but it can break, and when it does, they say that the edges are sharp… like a blade. Almost like it's protecting itself."

Tears filled her eyes. Sharon studied him closely, fidgeting like a boy, and looking at her as though he was worried he might upset her. He was so like his father. She wondered sometimes what it would have been like to really know Andy back then, when he was Charlie's age, before his mistakes hardened him. "I…" She was left a little speechless. Sharon shook her head. Her throat ached with emotion. When she could finally speak, the words were thick, her voice breaking slightly. "There is nothing extraordinary about me, Charlie, except the people who were here to keep me from shattering." She looked down again. Her thumb swept over the serene face of the small angel. "I had faith in all of you, that was my strength."

"Whatever it was, it worked. It got you through that night, and all the ones that came after." He straightened with a sigh. His brows knit together in a frown. "Look, Sharon, you're not my mom. You're not going to be my mom. I wish that she was here every damn day, but I'm glad you made it. I'm glad that my dad has you, because if he didn't, Nikki and I, we'd have lost them both, and I don't think we could've handled that. I guess what I'm saying is… Welcome to the family."

She reached out and grasped his arm. If he were one of her sons, or even Dean, she might have hugged him, but she and Charlie had not quite reached that point yet. He still felt his mother's loss keenly, and as he said, she was not there to take that place. Sharon would never attempt it. She was more touched by his gift and his words than he could know. "Thank you," she whispered, and found that she was unable to say anything else.

Charlie glanced behind her. He drew away, feeling awkward, and jerked his head toward the yard. "I'm going to help these guys finish up and then I'm out of here. Have a good weekend, and at least pretend it's a honeymoon, even if you're not going anywhere."

"We will," she assured him. They planned to take a real trip later in the year, but were going to spend this weekend alone, for the most part. Sharon wanted to visit with her parents while they were in town, but most of their time would be spent together, as a couple. Sharon watched him place his coffee cup on the counter before he stepped outside. She felt a hand touch her shoulder a second later. She hummed as she leaned back into her husband's embrace. "I'm beginning to think that he might like me," she murmured.

"You might be right." He heard most of the exchange before entering the kitchen. "It's hard to believe sometimes. He's been around a lot more, and I guess that happens… when there's a loss like that, but I thought without his mom around he'd take off. She was pushing him to be around the last couple of years." Andy shook his head. He was bewildered by all of it; proud of Charlie and the man he was becoming, but surprised just the same. When she turned in his arms, Andy shrugged at her. "The Sharon Effect strikes again."

"No." She laid her hand against his chest. "Andy, that was all you. Your son loves you," she told him. "The two of you are going to argue and be at odds, but it's just the nature of who you both are. You're both stubborn, passionate men." He didn't seem to believe her. Sharon traced the line of his jaw when he looked down, tipped his face back up. "Andy you didn't pursue me because you thought it would look great for your kids. Our relationship became what it was because you realized that you wanted more than meaningless sex and brief flings. Being with me just allowed your children to see the changes that you already made in your life. I am able to trust you because of the man you are. It helped them to stop and see you too. It wasn't me at all. They love you for the same reason that I do. Because of the man you are."

"Sometimes," he said thickly, "I think the biggest con of my life was convincing you to love me. I still don't know how I did that. I thank God every day that you do, but I never let myself believe it would happen. Then it did. You can say I did this, but Sharon, I tried for years to get my kids to give me half a chance. They didn't try until you came along. Everything that I have right now, that started with you. All of it. The kids, the job, hell just actually being alive."

She wished that he could see himself as she did. Her thumb stroked his chin. "Andy, I didn't get you a promotion. I didn't change the way you approach your job. You've always been headstrong and impetuous, but age and experience have had an effect. You still have a temper, but these days you think before you swing. Your health put you in a position to approach what you already do a little differently, to take what you know and use it more wisely." She let her hand fall to his chest again, stroked the length of his tie before allowing it to rest above his heart. "If you and I work well together," she continued, "and if that taught you something, then good. I still didn't do anything. It's just who _we_ are. Others have seen that. You didn't need me to continue learning and adapting. You caught Mason's attention all on your own and while I was unavailable. Your son may think that I am the strong one, but you are stronger than you know, Andy Flynn, and I see it every day. I don't need to lean on you; I am very good at standing on my own two feet. The difference is that I know that if I ever have to, I can." Sharon placed the gift from Charlie aside and laid her other hand against his chest too. She leaned up to kiss him, a soft, lingering caress of lips. "You're here when I need you," she said softly, "and I know that you want to protect me, and you want to take care of me, but you hold yourself back because you know that I need to be able to take care of myself... and _that_ is the strength that carries me." Her smile softened, while her eyes brightened. She looked at him with joy, while peace and warmth settled through her. "You loving me, even when I know that it's hard, that gives me more strength than you can imagine. You're a good man," she said. "You're a good partner. You're a good cop. Never doubt that you are also a good father. You are exactly what we all need. Even if we don't say it enough."

"You amaze me," he said. "Everything that you've been through this year, and it's me that you worry about." Andy took her hands and lifted them to his lips. "You're the one that keeps us all together, you know that right?"

"Because I have you." She leaned into him. Her face tipped back, lips curving when he kissed her. " _We_ ," she corrected. "Everything that we have been through. I'm a packaged deal, Flynn. I come with a partner." She always wondered what people really meant, or what they felt, when they said that someone was their other half. Now she knew. Where he was chaos and trouble, she was order and rules. They fit together, and she knew they were both stronger for it.

Sharon took a step back and looked into the yard. His son and the catering staff had gone. The decorative lights were off, and when she tilted her head to look, she saw that the side gate, which was open during the party, had been closed. Her gaze lifted; there was an impish curve to her lips and a devious gleam in her eyes. "How would you like to lock up the house and join me in the pool?"

Andy pulled her against him with a grin. "Already done." He watched her smile grow, and in a move that he knew his back would hate him for later, he scooped her into his arms. "I've had the pool heater going all day, just hoping…"

She threw her head back and loud, joyful laughter rang across the night as he carried her toward the pool. Sharon wrapped her arms around his neck. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Oh, I'm about to tell you… there's even going to be a demonstration."

His grin promised nothing but trouble. Sharon laughed again as she was placed on her feet near the pool. He was, at times, utterly ridiculous. There were other moments when she couldn't imagine that anyone could be more endearing. Tonight he was simply hers, just as she was his. Like the angel, nestled in it's soft wrapping, their arms were lifted and they were prepared to step into the future, together.

 **-THE END-**

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Thank you to everyone for all of the lovely reviews, favs and follows. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I'm glad that you seemed to enjoy it too! You are all rockstars!


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